Time to Find Out
by Overflowing Ashtray
Summary: Remus Lupin has been ostracized by society for most of his life. He's grown accustomed to solitude, to loneliness. But then she stumbled into his life, with a smile so bright that the pangs of loneliness began to subside.
1. Chapter 1

The noise emanating from the small house echoed throughout the dimly lit neighborhood, alerting the neighbors that something was wrong. Those noises were unlike any they'd ever heard before and they served to unnerve them. As the noises penetrated their consciousness, they debated as to whether or not contacting the authorities would be the best course of action. But as much as they wanted to pick up their phones, they couldn't. The neighbors were afraid that contacting their local Auror office would upset the homes owner, Gwyneth Reynolds, whom was a high profile Auror at the Department of Magic. She was a leading Auror at the national level and they thought that maybe just maybe the noises were due to a high profile mission. And if that were the case, it was better for them to not be involved.

Although her neighbors refused to get involved, there was one person – an outsider to the community – that was standing on the front porch, contemplating whether or not they should kick the door in. That person was Adelaide Thirlby and she was absolutely livid. Gwen had bailed on their plans for the evening without bothering to send an Owl explaining why or a phone call to cancel. Adelaide had waited at the bar they were supposed to meet up at, for an hour and after getting a few drinks, as well as a quick snack, she apparated to the house in Virginia to tell her friend off for bailing.

"I know you're in there!" she bellowed as she pounded on the door. "I can hear you from outside so open the fucking door before I kick it down!" her lips pressed tightly against one another, waiting for a response. "Gwen! I'm not messing around! I'll kick this door down, don't think I won't!"

She honestly thought that would make Gwen open the door, but seeing as how it didn't open, Adelaide took a few steps back. Her eyes firmly fixed on the door's center. Maybe if she kicked it just hard enough, it would open. There was nothing to it. At least, that's what she thought.

"Alright, I can do this," she whispered to herself. "It's just a door. Doors are kicked down all the time. It always happens on the teli. If it's easy on the teli, it'll be a breeze in real life."

With that lie repeating in her mind, Adelaide felt confident enough to send her right foot crashing against the door. What happened next was to be expected. The door didn't budge. It remained as closed as ever and Adelaide was left cursing at the top of her lungs as she clutched her foot tightly.

"Fucking bullshit!" she bellowed into the night, her dark hair falling into her face. "Ah! That's it. No more trying to do this the muggle way." Adelaide composed herself and drew her wand. "Confringo!"

The door didn't stand a chance against the blasting curse.

"Hah!" Adelaide cried in triumph. "I hope you know I blasted your door for being such a horrible . . . and you can turn off the radio! I know you're pretending that . . . What the –" her hold on the wand tightened when she saw the state of the house. "G-Gwen?" she called to her friend. "Gwen, are you alright?"

Adelaide was tempted to fetch her older brother, an Auror that worked in Los Angeles, to check the place out. She wasn't particularly skilled in the art of dueling. Sure, Gwen had been giving her lessons on how to defend herself, but Adelaide wasn't one for magical combat. She worked at the Office of International Magical Cooperation. She was a diplomat that spent her days at meetings with foreign officials or with her nose in a book. That was her world. That was where she was comfortable and walking into a house that looked like it'd been ransacked, threw her way out of her comfort zone, but she still went in.

She walked through the living room, maneuvering her way through the misplaced furniture and broken appliances. Her stomach flipped when she saw the state the kitchen was in. It looked like someone had thrown up in there and the stench coming from it was appalling. Those foods weren't meant to share an opened space. She walked all throughout the house and it wasn't until she ventured into the room that functioned as a library, that she found Gwen.

At first she didn't believe the wild haired figure was Gwen. She looked so savage and animalistic that there was no way it could be her friend, but the closer she got, the clearer it became that it was indeed her, and when their eyes made contact, Adelaide stumbled backwards. The pain in Gwen's eyes was too much. It shot through Adelaide, leaving her clutching her chest for breath.

"What's wrong?" Adelaide managed to croak out.

Her copy of The Picture of Dorian Gray fell from her right hand. "My mum's dead," she whispered in a moment of vulnerability.

Adelaide cast her wand aside, not bothering to see where it landed, and ran towards Gwen. She took her friend in her arms, holding her tightly as if that simple embrace could make everything better. Gwen was never one to be comforted. She preferred to suffer in silence, but the pain coursing through her was much too great to endure on her own. So she sobbed. She sobbed wildly into Adelaide's dark brown hair, drenching the curls with her salty tears.

"It's my fault, you know." Gwen managed to say. "My mum knew her life was in danger . . . she asked me to go back to England with her, but I said no. I said no."

"Shh, it's not your fault." Adelaide tenderly rubbed her back.

"But it is!" Gwen spoke more forcefully. "If I'd have been there, she wouldn't be dead. He'd be dead. Not my mum!" she pulled away, her tear stained face contorting into one of agonizing pain. "I would've killed him" she muttered darkly. "I would've killed the bastard with my hand and strung him up somewhere for all to see."

Her words terrified Adelaide. She'd never seen Gwen so worked up over anything and the darkness in her eyes combined with the venom in her words, caused Adelaide to think that her friend had lost her mind.

"Who are you talking about?" she asked softly, trying not to startle Gwen with her words.

"That bastard!" cried Gwen.

"Yes." Adelaide took in a deep breath. "But who is that bastard?"

"Voldemort," she answered.

Gwen didn't have to elaborate on the name. Adelaide was very well aware of who Voldemort was. She'd written several papers on him during her time at the Office of International Magical Cooperation. He was a fiend that every diplomat was well acquainted with. He was a fiend that the Office wanted dead, because if he took control of England, there was no telling what he might accomplish throughout the rest of the world.

There were countries teetering on the brink of destruction. If he went in and promised the magical communities that he would help them take power from muggles, there was little doubt in Adelaide's mind that most countries would take his offer. People want to feel safe. They want to make sure that their children have better lives and sometimes good people will do bad things in hopes that the future will be better for their loved ones. And if that were to happen, if those countries were to fall, then war would be unleashed.

"But I'm gonna kill him for that." Gwen wiped away the tears. "I'll have him begging for mercy. I will."

"Maybe you should sit down for a bit. Why don't you take a seat somewhere and I'll get you a draught?" Adelaide proposed. "Something to take the edge off and while you rest, I'll get this place in order."

"Don't want any draught."

"You have to take something." Adelaide argued.

Gwen shook her head. "I'm not going to numb myself from the pain. This is what I get for turning my back on my mum when she needed me. This is my punishment and I just . . . I suppose, I'll just have to deal with it."

"I'm not going to change your mind on that. Am I?"

"No."

"Right then," Adelaide reached into her jacket and pulled out her glasses. "If you're not going to take the draught, then there's nothing I can do about that, but please sit down so I can tidy up. You can't live in this mess."

"Not gonna live here anymore," she told Adelaide. "I'm moving back to England."

"You're what?"

"Moving back," Gwen repeated. "My dad, needs taking care of and let's face it, I've got a score to settle."

"You're serious about this."

"Yeah," Gwen took a seat. "I can't stay here after all that's happened. I know it might not make sense for me to go, but I have to. And I know that I'll get shit for it, but I honestly don't give the slightest fuck. I'm just hoping that come Monday, I'll be able to get everything handled."

"I can handle all the paperwork for you." Adelaide offered. "I've been called into work tomorrow and I can pick up the forms, fill them out and then give them to you to sign. That way you don't have to worry over that."

"Can't ask you to do that for me," Gwen spoke.

Adelaide chuckled lightly. "You didn't ask me. I offered and I'm good at paperwork. It's almost all we diplomats do, so it'll be alright. And I'm pretty sure I'll do a better job than you at it."

"You sure?" she felt uncomfortable having her friend do her work for her.

"Positive."

"Thanks, this really means a lot to me."

Adelaide smiled in response.

"So what'd you end up doing tonight?" Gwen asked.

"Had a few drinks at the bar. Then I came here to tell you off, but that clearly didn't happen." Adelaide turned a table right side up and began placing books on it. "When are you going back?"

"Tonight." She replied. "Told my dad I was going to be here for a few hours to get things together, but I was lying. I just wanted to get this out of me."

"There's nothing like a bit of destruction. I always prefer to destroy my waist by hitting a buffet but this destruction's just as good. Oh look. You've ruined a perfectly good bottle of vodka!" she picked up the broken bottle. "This wasn't even opened when you broke it."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I'm the one that opens all the bottles," Adelaide replied. "Well. Think you should probably go pack a bag or something since you're going back. I'll clean this up while you do that."

Gwen clamored up the stairs, leaving Adelaide to tidy up the place. If she'd been a muggle or not very skilled at household spells, she would've taken ages to clean up, but thankfully for Adelaide, she'd taken a course on household spells and by the time Gwen returned, the entire house was as it had been before Gwen destroyed it.

"How'd you do that so fast?" inquired Gwen, incredulously.

"If you'd bothered to take the household spell class with me last spring, you'd be able to clean up just as fast."

"Well, I didn't think it'd be all that helpful. I mean, its household spells, there's nothing grand to that."

"Course there is! What if you have kids one day and they've made a mess of things and you're expecting company in five minutes and can't tidy up normally? You've got to think about those things."

"You're mad," Gwen muttered.

"No, no, no. I'm practical. And if I don't have kids, then I'll at least be able to avoid physically cleaning for the rest of my life. Not to shabby, if I do say so myself."

"Still say you're mad."

Their conversation didn't last much longer. Had the circumstances been different they would've spent the entire night smoking and watching films, drinking an occasional drink. But this was no time for merriment. It was no time for company. As strong as their friendship was, Gwen wasn't the sort that wanted people to see her suffering. That was just how Gwen was. She didn't care for being comforted. Made her feel weak and as an Auror, she wanted – needed to seem in control at all times. Adelaide respected that. She respected the fact that her friend needed space.

So instead of pestering her to say a little longer like she would've to another friend, she wished her farewell and went her own way. She thought about going back to the bar for a few more drinks. The bartender, a woman by the name of Erica, was a favorite of hers. They'd known each other for years and although Erica was a muggle, they hung out from time to time. But Adelaide didn't feel like waiting for Erica to finish her shift. She felt like going home to her small cottage like house in Montpelier, Vermont.

And that was exactly what she did, she apparated to her home that was situated beside Winooski River. The house wasn't large. In fact, the opposite rang true. It was small, very small for being two stories. There were three bedrooms; one of which was spacious, a proper size for a room and the other two looked like oversized closets, which was the reason why one of them was converted into a personal library and the other remained a guest room.

Downstairs there was a living room, which took up nearly half of the downstairs area. The kitchen took up the other half. There'd been a dining room when she first bought the property, but her desire for a large kitchen led to her getting rid of the dining room and now all that's left is a small two person table that's pushed against a corner in the kitchen. There was also a basement that was piled high with her belongings. It was the only space in the house that wasn't neatly put in order.

Had a family lived there, the house wouldn't have met their needs. There would've been a severe lack of space and privacy, but it was perfect for Adelaide. She had no romantic partner of any sort and no children. Wait. That's not true. Adelaide did have a son, except instead of being a person; he was a little Chihuahua by the name of Theodore. And when she went home, she found Theodore fast asleep in her bed, curled up atop the large body pillow that was his favorite and tucked underneath a warm baby blanket. The sight was enough to make a tender smile play across her lips and after a quick shower, Adelaide slipped into her pajamas and climbed into bed beside him.

It'd been a long day. There'd been an issue with the Bolivian Ministry of Magic, something about wanting to reclaim land that American corporations had taken. As one of the members of the Latin American division, Adelaide was obligated to be present at the meeting. It was her that took the notes, her that made sense of the rhetoric being spouted by both sides. She loved her job, really she did, but sometimes the stress of it all got to her and all she wanted to do was unwind with a friend. That was what she'd planned to do with Gwen.

They were going to forget the world around them and just be normal twenty something year olds for a night. They'd drink, smoke and flirt shamelessly with muggles that caught their attention. It was supposed to be a great night, but the night never began. And as she lay there, peering into the darkness, she couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe, their days of idleness were behind them. The world had changed. The repercussions of Voldemort's decisions would be felt globally. And if his reign of terror were to continue, it would be up to the diplomats and Aurors across the world to band together to end his tyranny.

"History . . ." she whispered to herself. "This is history in the making."


	2. Chapter 2

Adelaide sat hunched over the kitchen table, her lips pressed into a thin line as she read the mornings paper. There was an interesting article in it, one concerning the growing unrest among the progressive magical community in America, which felt that getting involved in the growing war in Britain was their duty as a nation. War had never been a popular topic among left leaning wizards. Peace was what they preferred, but with the death of Amelia Bones – the world renowned Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement in Britain – they began to reconsider that stance. Voldemort was a fiend. There was no debating that. He was fiend. He was a murderer and if he were allowed to run rampant across Britain, there would be no telling how many casualties there would be. Human life had no value to him. Neither did justice. He was a man that needed to be stripped from his power. The progressive community believed it their duty as Americans to intervene in the matter. That was a belief Adelaide shared.

To her, watching that madman take control of the Ministry wasn't a viable option. He would use it to do his bidding, to murder the innocent, and to terrify others into submission. That couldn't be allowed to happen. The British Ministry of Magic was crucial in American relations to Europe. Without them as allies, there relationship with other countries would surely become strained. But aside from the political aspect, there was a human aspect to it. This was the aspect upon which the progressives fixated on. There would be lives lost, both magical and muggle. There would be deep emotional trauma that the people of Britain would never truly be rid of. Adelaide knew that to be true, because her friend would never be the same. Voldemort had taken her mother and with him, had taken a piece of Gwen that would forever haunt her with its absence.

The more that Adelaide thought about it, the more certain she grew that American intervention would be necessary. The question was: When would it be deemed necessary for America to intervene? Would it take months? Would it take years? Would an unforeseen event force them into action? The politics of war were complicated. There was never a clear answer as to how or when to progress. And in order to make sense of the situation, Adelaide decided that she would have to return to Harvard, where the elite Witchcraft and Wizarding University was hidden in the midst of the muggle Ivy League. It was there that Professor Barbara Feingold taught. She had been the head of the Office of International Magical Cooperation for ten years before retiring to teach. She was a brilliant witch that specialized in Britain. So if anyone would help place the situation into better context it would be her.

But she wouldn't be able to go until her lunch break. She could've tried to squeeze in the meeting before work, but it was six in the morning, Professor Feingold was at home, not at her office and even if she were in her office, Adelaide had too many things to do. She needed to finish getting dressed, make sure that all the files were in her briefcase, and she had to drop off Theodore at the Country Care Pet Resort where he spent his time while Adelaide worked. People always thought she was crazy for paying someone to take care of Theodore while she worked. They often told her that he was just a dog, that leaving him locked in the house would be alright, but Theodore was like a son to her. And like a real child, he needed to be at a day care, where he would be in a safe environment, surrounded by other dogs.

After getting dressed and making sure that the files were in her briefcase, Adelaide placed Theodore in his carrier and apparated to the resort in upstate New York. It was a place run by wizards that catered to the magical and muggle community. The rate wasn't cheap. It was on the costly side of the spectrum, but it was the best pet resort in America and Adelaide was happy with it. Whenever she worked late, the caretakers accommodated a space for Theodore, because in the package she had selected, he was allowed to spend the night, six times a month. That rarely happened. It was usually only three or four times, since she liked cuddling with him while she slept.

With Theodore dropped off at the resort, she proceeded to apparate to the entrance of the Department of Magic which was located in Arlington County, Virginia; close to the muggle Pentagon. Although it was only a quarter to seven, the Department of Magic was already buzzing with life. Finely dressed wizards and witches walked throughout the architectural marvel. She walked in direction of the elevators so she could go up to the section where the Office of International Magical Cooperation was located.

"Morning Victoria!" she greeted a middle aged witch, when she walked into the Latin American division of the Office of International Magical Cooperation.

The middle aged witch set down her coffee. "Read the papers yet, Adelaide?"

"Wouldn't be me if I hadn't." Adelaide set down her briefcase on the desk.

"So what do you think? About Wintringham's op-ed?" she asked.

"Think it was right on the mark. He basically summed up my thoughts on the situation in Britain. As well as my fears of actually engaging in war," Adelaide removed her jacket, placing it behind her chair. "War is this cruel mistress that I've never thought of calling on, but with Voldemort rising in Britain, it seems that it'll have to happen."

"But when?" mused aloud Victoria. "There's no way we can intervene right now. Their Ministry still hasn't completely fallen and there's no concrete place where Voldemort holds all his power. We'll have to wait until the Ministry is completely under his control so we don't trespass on the existing government's war against Voldemort. And if we wait that long, we might have waited to long."

Adelaide took a seat. "Such a clusterfuck of a situation," she said. "I'd hate to be one of the diplomats at the embassy over there."

"You mean you haven't heard?"

"Heard what?"

"That the diplomats stationed in Britain, all submitted their paperwork to be relocated."

"They can't do that!"

"Course they can. They're all well connected, married to the right people, friends with the right people so they'll have their way."

"But who's gonna replace them?"

"Their replacements aren't set in stone yet. But from what Richard in the European division told, it's safe to say that diplomats stationed abroad will not be taken into consideration. They're going to pull from everyone stationed here."

"So the European division?" asked Adelaide.

Victoria shook her head. "You would think that they'd only consider diplomats from the European division, but they're not. Everyone is up for consideration. Might be you, might be me, might be Harold from the African division."

"Well that's stupid. Why would they throw someone from outside the European division there? We all specialize in our regions for a reason. We know the languages, we know the cultures, and we understand how to interact with the people in those regions. Just because we fucking speak English that doesn't mean we're suited for the job."

"Exactly what I told Richard." Victoria removed her glasses. "And he agrees. We all chose which region we wanted to deal with and to move us somewhere us just because a few damn cowards suddenly realized that they'd have to do something other than sit on their asses, is incredibly unfair."

Adelaide nodded in agreement. "Hopefully we don't get moved. You definitely won't. This is your division, been working here for . . . How long have you been here?"

"Twenty three years."

"There you go. This is your division. You're a fixture in the Latin American landscape and you won't be moved. They'd be stupid to have you moved."

"What about you?"

"All I can do is hope I'll be left here. Don't want to move. I like my cottage in Vermont. It suits me."

"I don't get why diplomats working in embassies have to move. They could easily apparate to work every morning and keep their home here."

"Think it's because they want to model the experience after the muggle one. Stupid though. We're not muggles. We have magic. We should use it."

"Sounds like a new slogan for the Department." Victoria smiled. "Think I'll put it on a coffee mug to see how it works out." She took a sip from her coffee. "Oh! That reminds me. Do you know how Gwen's doing? Amelia Bones was her mother, right? Or am I wrong about that? Because with all the facts that run round my mind, I sometimes construct my own that are completely untrue."

"That was her mom. And she's doing better than most people would. She's a strong woman."

"Well give her my best when you see her."

"I will."

"So," Victoria put her glasses back on. "Do you have the files about the situation in Bolivia?"

And just like that, their former conversation was cast aside and they went into work mode. There was no more talk about Britain or Voldemort. Their conversation revolved around Bolivia. It revolved around how they were going to convince the Bolivian Ministry to leave the muggle American corporations in possession of the lands. A monetary arrangement would have to be made, a high ranking wizard in the banking field would have to be contacted, and before the day was done, this would be settled and its file would be placed in the cabinet with all the others.

By eleven forty five, the wizard had been contacted, the contract had been drawn up and Victoria – accompanied by fellow diplomat, Ricardo – was on her way to meet with the Bolivians. With that done, it was only a matter of time before another issue presented itself. So Adelaide did what she always did after the division completed their task, she grabbed a newspaper – this one being from Argentina – and began to read up on the days events. She did that until she realized that her workday had basically ended and that she could either make the arrangements for Gwen or visit Professor Feingold. As tempting as the latter was, she went with the former.

With her newfound purpose, Adelaide proceeded to journey to the Office of Magical Law Enforcement, where she planned to get the paperwork, fill it out and submit it. The process shouldn't have taken very long but there was an ill humored receptionist that refused to give her any of the paperwork, because Adelaide wasn't Law Enforcement personnel. They bickered about that for a few hours. Adelaide kept demanding the paperwork and she kept refusing it. Adelaide, frustrated beyond belief, demanded to speak with the Office head, but he wasn't in. Apparently, he was at a very important meeting so she stood there, bickering until he walked by and when he did, she shouted out his name.

"Mister Gifford." Adelaide called to him, her voice louder than it ought to have been.

He stopped in his steps, turning to look at her. "Yes?" he asked.

"Sir, I'm Adelaide Thirlby, from the Latin American division of the Office of International Magical Cooperation."

"Ah. Miss Thirlby. How may I be of assistance?"

"I've come here on behalf of Gwyneth Reynolds."

His face grew somber at her mention. "Yes. Yes, of course. She's in England. Isn't she? Mother was a remarkable witch. One of the finest that I ever had the privilege of meeting. Whatever you need, feel free to ask the receptionist."

"That's the problem. I've tried asking her. Been asking her for help for about three hours now and she's been nothing short of rude and snarky. Both of which, I did not appreciate."

Gifford could have easily called upon his assistant to see that Adelaide got what she needed, but he was indebted to her. She'd been the reason that the American relationship with Venezuela didn't become strained as a result of a mission his office had ran on Venezuelan soil. And because of that, he would personally help her.

"Please follow me."

Adelaide did as she was told. Following him into his private office where he then told her to take a seat. He slipped off his coat, carefully placing it on his rack before walking towards his desk.

"Care for a drink?" he asked.

"No, thank you."

"Well I do." Gifford chuckled as he poured himself a cup of whiskey. "Let me apologize for Chelsea. I'll make sure to have a talk with her about being friendlier, but enough about that. What does Gwen want done? Last I checked she was taking a week off for the funeral. At least that's what my assistant told me."

"She is, but she wants to resign her post."

"What? Resign?"

Adelaide nodded. "After her mother's passing, she feels that it's her duty to return to England to look after her father."

"And why did she not come to say this herself?"

"Planning the funeral is taking up most of her time. She wanted to come, but I told her that I would get the forms for her. Thought it'd be easy, but the task was rendered time consuming." Adelaide slightly scooted forward in her seat. "The only thing I need is the form she needs to fill out to resign."

"Are you sure she's set on resigning?"

"She says she needs to stay in England for indefinite amount of time. She doesn't know when she'll be able to return."

"But she's a remarkable Auror."

"I agree."

"Do you think she means to join the British Ministry?"

Adelaide fiercely shook her head. "No, not at all." She said.

"Well, I think it might be better if she were to go on leave. She can take as much time as she needs. Keep her medical benefits. Although if she's in England, it won't matter since they have universal healthcare. But she will retain those benefits as well as the government employee discounts. She wouldn't have access to private records like she does as an active Auror, but I personally believe that going on leave might be a better option for her. That way if she were – in the future – to want to resume her work her, she'd be able to start without going through the hiring process again. But it would be up to her."

"I don't know if she's comfortable with going on leave."

"Ask her what she thinks about it. And then have her fill out whichever form she wants. She can either resign or go on leave. I'll have my assistant give them to you. It should only take a few minutes. And after she fills them out, bring it back to me. Not to the receptionist, not to the human recourses office. Bring the documents to me and I will personally input them into the system so that she can immediately go on leave or no longer work her."

"But you must be so busy. You're the head of this office."

"Yes, I know, but I never forget a favor. And I recall an instance in which your diplomacy skills helped avoid an international scandal between this office and Venezuela."

A little while later, Adelaide left the Law Enforcement Office with two folders in hand. She went back into her desk and filled out all the information, leaving a few areas blank for Gwen to put in her private information. Now that she had that done, she decided that she was going to take the paperwork to Gwen and since her friend wasn't much of a chef, Adelaide was determined to cook a proper meal for her friend, as well as to leave her food in the fridge for the week. In order to do that, she went home to change out of her work clothes and went to the grocery store to buy the ingredients. The ingredients were then packed into her enchanted tote and after calling the pet resort to tell them that Theodore would be spending the night, she apparated to the house in Surrey.

"Took a few hours to get things sorted with the Magical Law Enforcement Office," she told Gwen. "But um, I managed to talk with Gifford and explained everything that happened. He said that he'd put you on leave, so that when you go back you don't have to go through the orientation process again. Uh, I don't know if you intend to go back to the Department but I told him that I'd tell you about his putting you on leave and if you're not comfortable with that. I have the papers to formally resign your post in t-this folder." Adelaide held up a navy blue folder. "If you want to go on leave, I have the documents for that in here," she held up a white envelope. "He said either was fine."

Gwen stared at her in disbelief. "How'd you get a meeting with Gifford on such short notice? It takes days for him to meet with anyone."

"Gifford's owed me a favor," Adelaide replied, quietly. "I helped him out with an issue he had with the Venezuelan Ministry of Magic a few years back. Think that was why he saw me."

Gwen nodded her head in understanding.

"So, which one of these are you gonna want to put your signature on? The resignation or the leave?" Adelaide inquired.

"Are you certain there's no time frame on the leave? I wouldn't want to sign it and have them knocking on my door a year or so from now."

"No time frame," she assured. "Gifford said that however long you needed would be fine. They're not going to pay you while you're on leave, but you get to keep your medical benefits. As well as the government employee discounts. The one other thing he mentioned was that you wouldn't have access to private records while you were on leave. So you can't snoop around the database."

"That was to be expected," Gwen muttered to herself. "I suppose I'll go on leave then."

Adelaide pulled out the documents from inside the white envelope. "There's a post it next to where you need to sign."

"I'll just give it a quick read then," she took possession of the documents. "Are you sure I can't get you something to drink or eat?"

"No thanks, I grabbed a bite before I headed over. That's why there's a chocolate stain on the envelope," Adelaide smiled sheepishly. "But would you mind if I got in your kitchen? Want to leave some food in your fridge before I go."

"Come off it Ada. You're a guest, you can't be cooking."

"Of course I can, you're a horrible fucking cook and I can't leave here, knowing that you're going to be forced to eat your own creations for the entire week. I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

"Well, I've been eating just fine these last few days." Gwen countered.

"Right," she said, clearly unconvinced by Gwen. "So I'm just going to head on in."

"You don't even have ingredients!" she pointed out.

"Actually, I do," Adelaide held up her purse. "Stopped by the market before I came over," she declared, triumphantly. "So you read and I'll get cooking."

Gwen let out a defeated sigh. "Fine then, I'll show you where the things are and read this in the kitchen."

The cooking supplies were soon shown to Adelaide and Gwen sat down at the table to read over the paperwork. It was the standard seven page form to go on leave. In all honesty, two pages would've sufficed for the amount of information that needed to be given, but the Department had a flare for paperwork and as such, dragged on the pages so that it would seem a lot more difficult than it actually was. The documents were filled out accordingly, there were only a few blank spaces where her signature was needed as well as her social security number. Both were quickly written in and in fifteen minutes time, she'd finished.

When she finished, she placed the document back in the envelope as neatly as possible and then leant back in her seat. It felt odd to [i]officially[/i] be on leave and as she sat there, she couldn't help but ponder just how long she might be off the force for. She personally didn't want it to be very long, a year or two at the most, but with things the way they were. There was a good chance that it'd be longer. The last war had lasted eleven years and this one was barely in its first.

"How are things at the Department?" Gwen asked, breaking the silence.

"Better than here," Adelaide stirred the sauce. "But things are getting more difficult with the diplomats."

"Voldemort?" she asked.

Adelaide nodded. "Apparently things at the British Ministry have gotten so bad that the entire staff at the American embassy have put in the paperwork to be relocated."

"Can they do that?"

"Yeah," she stopped stirring. "It's cowardly of them, but they can do it and since the staff there's the most well connected, they're gonna have their way."

"Then who's going to take their place? Are they going to pull people from other embassies?"

"No, they're going to pull people from the office in Washington."

"You mean . . . you might . . . no! No, you can't come over here. If they try to relocate you here, you tell them to bugger off! Damn it. You shouldn't have wasted your favor from Gifford on me. Should've saved it for this," her grey eyes flickered in annoyance. "If they try to send you here, put in a request to be relocated. Can't be here, you just can't."

"I don't think I'd be in danger if I was transferred here. I mean, Voldemort's not stupid. He knows that America has a penchant for war. And if he were to kill an American employee in Britain, America would go to war with him. So I think if I were to be sent over here, I'd be alright."

"No, you wouldn't." Gwen argued. "You're not well versed in defensive spells nor are you skilled at hand to hand combat. If something were to happen, you would –"

"Why are you thinking so much into this? You're not one for thinking about the consequences of stuff."

"Just don't think it's a good idea, is all."

"Well, I don't even know if I'm going to be one of the five that are moved so there's no reason to worry about this right now."

"Suppose you're right." Gwen stood up. "What are you making?"

"Right now, I'm working on the lasagna, then I'll get started on the casserole, and then on the ham. And when I'm done with those, I'll get started on the pastries."

"Bloody hell woman!" exclaimed Gwen. "What's gotten into you?"

Adelaide shrugged. "I just figured that since you don't like cooking, I'd cut that out of your to do list. That way you don't have to fret over that on top of everything else. Plus, it's weird not having you over for dinner. I'm used to cooking for two and cutting it down to one isn't as easy as you'd think."

"How's it not easy? You just do half."

"Can't do half, because then it's so little and it looks lonely while it's cooking."

Gwen let out a chuckle. "You need to be medicated."

"We could all use with a little medicine, preferably the herbal sort, which reminds me." Adelaide looked around nervously. "Derek hooked it up yesterday and I got you some fresh tobacco as well as some greens. Don't know how you feel about smoking given the circumstances, but I figured that if you ever had a craving, it'd be good to have something lying around."

"How much was it?"

"Don't worry about that. It's a gift. Want it now or later?"

"Later," Gwen answered. "When you're done in here, we can have a smoke."

"Might an old man join in?" inquired Henry from the doorway, his bloodshot eyes struggling to remain open. "Only joking," he muttered, "I gave up cigarettes ages ago."

"Hello Mr. Reynolds," Adelaide greeted him. "I'm really sorry about your wife. She was an amazing woman."

"That she was," a strained smile found its way to his lips. "What brings you to Surrey at these hours?" he inquired as politely as a man who hadn't slept properly in three days, could.

"Came to drop off some paperwork for Gwen," Adelaide explained. "And now I'm cooking. Since I know my friend's better suited for the endeavors of an Auror and not those of a homemaker."

Henry forced a smile. "There is truth in those words."

"But what are you doing down here, dad?" Gwen inquired. "It's a quarter past ten."

"What difference does it make if it's a quarter past tan or a seven in the morning? The hours have all begun to blur. There is no difference in time . . ." he let out a soft sigh. "But if you must know, I received a letter from Remus, stating that he and Albus would be stopping by at a half past ten."

"Why didn't you mention they were coming?"

"Must have slipped my mind," he replied.

Gwen eyed him, wearily. "What are they coming for?"

"Gwyneth, I believe you should be more attentive to Adelaide than to me. This is no way to treat a guest."

"Ada's not a guest. She's as good, as family and has known me long enough to know not to think much of my inattentiveness. Isn't that right, Ada?" she inquired.

"Right," Adelaide replied from her place by the stove.

"So why are they coming at this hour?" Gwen asked, again. "What are you planning, dad?"

"I expressed my desire to join the Order and they have come to further discuss it with me." Henry declared.

"As a herbologist?" she inquired.

"As a fighter," he replied.

"A fighter," she softly repeated to herself. "Why?"

"What do you mean, why?" he stood up straight, puffing his chest out.

Gwen sighed. "Why are you joining the Order as a fighter?"

"Because I am a man who lost his wife and I want justice. That's why."

"What's gotten into that head of yours, dad?" she asked, softly. "You're a herbologist, not an Auror."

"That doesn't mean I can't fight." Henry argued.

"But it means you haven't been taught how to fight. If you were to go up against Voldemort or any of his goons, you wouldn't make it."

His bloodshot eyes narrowed.

"Don't mean to offend you, but you're not meant to be a fighter. That's why you went into Herbology and not into the Auror business. You work with plants and fungi. And that's good! It's brilliant actually, because you grow things that you then use to make potions and draughts that help heal others. And if you were to join as a Herbologist and not a fighter, you'd be of more use."

"How so?" he asked, his look of displeasure slightly softening.

"People are going to get hurt during this war. That's a given. But whether or not they're going to receive proper medical attention isn't guaranteed."

"They can go to St. Mungo's." he told her.

"If the Ministry completely falls, that means that it will have complete control of St. Mungo's and will know who walks and what injuries they have. It'll be easy for them to know who's in the Order. And they'll kill them." she waited a moment so the information would penetrate his mind. "But if the Order were to have the most celebrated herbologist in all of Britain, on their side, they would have a most valuable source of healing. If you were to join them as a herbologist, if you were to put your greenhouses and abilities as a potions master at their disposal, then they'll be all the better for it . . . I'll be all the better for it."

". . . Suppose you're right." Henry spoke after a prolonged silence. "I do have two well stocked greenhouses here and I could easily take from the greenhouse at St. Mungo's whatever I lack, but I would still like to learn how to properly fight. Would you teach me?"

"Of course, dad," Gwen shot him the kindest smile she could muster.

"Thank you," Henry attempted to smile, but wasn't successful. "I should put the kettle on for when they arrive."

"Already did that." Adelaide chimed in. "Felt like having some coffee so I put water on the stove. The kettle's full so there's enough for like seven or eight people. Alright, that's a lie. There's enough for like five people. I like to have a lot of coffee. It's delicious, but I digress. Will that be enough for the guests?"

"Yeah, it will." Gwen reassured. "You want something to eat, dad? Or are you going to wait in the living room for them?"

"Living room," he told them. "I only came this way because I heard your voices."

Henry left the kitchen in silence.

"Sorry about that," Gwen apologized. "I just couldn't help myself."

"Understandable."

"Sure about that?" she inquired.

Adelaide nodded. "If my dad was alive and he tried pulling that, I would've done the same thing. Except I would've probably threatened him with not going to visit," she chuckled softly at the thought. "That would've made him change his mind."

"It would have." Gwen agreed. "I remember that one time you didn't visit him in four days and he showed up at the Department looking for you. Everyone thought that something had gone horribly wrong and then he scolded you, in front of everyone, for not visiting. It was positively outrageous."

"He was always such an overdramatic person. Acted like everything was the most important thing ever," a small smile adorned Adelaide's lips. "Think that's why I'm so overdramatic."

"It's endearing though."

Their conversation ended a short while later when Henry reentered the kitchen. He was accompanied by two men; one an extravagantly dressed elderly man and the other, a man whose clothes looked like they'd been taken from a dumpster. But although his appearance was ragged, although his face was heavily scarred, there was a kindness in his eyes which shone so brightly that his intimidating appearance was softened.


	3. Chapter 3

There was a kindness in his eyes, which shone so brightly that his intimidating appearance was dramatically softened. He no longer looked dangerous, the scars on his face no longer spoke of a man liable to attack. He now looked like someone that would sit at her side, drink coffee and discuss literature or modern politics with her. An absurd thought, she knew, but as she stared into his dark blue eyes, she couldn't help but think that that was exactly what she wanted to do with him. What made that more bizarre was the fact that he hadn't even spoken yet. That didn't matter though. She just knew that whatever he said would be fascinating. He had that look to him, the look of an educated man that would be good company, at least in her sense of the term.

A part of her felt childish for feeling that way. For all she knew, he could be an ignorant, disagreeable man whose very presence could upset her in the future. But something inside told her that wasn't the case. That this man, this man in tattered clothes, would be interesting and kind and perhaps even charming. And she knew that without having even heard him utter a single word.

"It has been long since we last met, Gwyneth." Albus spoke, taking Adelaide's attention from Remus and placing it on himself. "And I am deeply sorry that it was your mother's death that brought us into one another's company again. She was a brilliant witch, with a firm hand and just heart. But tell me, how are you? Your father informed me that you were planning on leaving the American Department of Magic." It was then that the wizard noticed Adelaide. "And who is this? I am quite certain I have never crossed paths with her."

"This is Adelaide, a friend from America," Gwen made the introductions. "Ada this is Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster at my old school and this is Remus Lupin, an old family friend."

"Lovely meeting you," Adelaide spoke.

"A true pleasure, my dear," Albus smiled kindly.

"Nice meeting you," added Remus, his voice softer than theirs.

"Adelaide works at the Department of Magic, in the Office of International Magical Cooperation and she came to drop off some documents that needed my signature." Gwen explained. "And as for your question, I'm as well as I can be, given the circumstances. I have not formally left the Department, I am simply on leave."

"When do you plan on returning?" Albus inquired.

"When I can rest assured that Voldemort has been killed." Gwen declared.

Albus' eyes flickered with curiosity. "Might we take this conversation somewhere more appropriate?"

"The study upstairs is more suitable." Henry finally spoke.

"Remus?" called out Albus.

"Yes, Dumbledore?" asked Remus.

"Might you be persuaded to keep Miss Adelaide, company while we discuss a few things?"

Remus nodded. "I fear my company might not be the liveliest, Miss Adelaide."

"Keep calling me, Miss Adelaide and you'll work your way up to being one of my favorite people," she joked.

A gentle smile was his reply.

The others excused themselves and walked up the stairs to the study, where they would be conducting their business in private. Downstairs, Adelaide and Remus were left alone. He stood in the doorway, his hands clasped tight around a worn out hat that had obviously seen better days. Adelaide stood in front of the stove, her right hand employed in stirring the sauce that would be used for the lasagna, while her left rested on her hip. She knew it was impolite to not pay attention to him, but if didn't stir the sauce it would burn and she'd have to start from scratch all over again and as much as she liked to cook, she didn't have enough ingredients to do it again or the patience to. She waited another minute before taking it off the stove and redirecting her attention to Remus.

"Sorry about that," she apologized, wiping her hands on the apron. "I just needed to finish up that sauce."

"Quite alright," he reassured. "Cooking is a very time consuming craft. Requires ones whole attention, which I believe is the reason behind why I can't put together a proper meal for the life of me."

"If you want, you can help me cook and maybe you'll get better at it. That's if you want, I mean, you don't have to. But I'm going to be standing here cooking, since I want to leave the fridge fully stocked for Gwen and Mr. Reynolds."

"That's very kind of you, but really, I'm awful. Would ruin everything," he laughed.

Adelaide pursed her lips, thinking of what to do. "Well, since you're being shy about cooking, maybe I can interest you in something to drink? Perhaps tea or a cup of coffee?" she asked.

"No, no thank you. No need to trouble yourself on my behalf."

"It's no trouble at all, really. I was actually just about to have some coffee right now, while I wait for the sauce to cool a bit and for the water for the lasagna to boil. I've got the kettle on the stove and if you had some tea or coffee, you'd keep me company."

"Are you sure you don't mind?"

"Positive."

"Well then I'll have some tea, whichever there is, is fine. Thank you."

"And would you have a seat, as well?" she took out two cups from the cupboards. "Or is standing there more comfortable than it looks?"

"Oh. Oh! Yes. A seat," Remus became conscious of the fact that he was lingering in the doorway instead of sitting at the table. "Forgot I was standing there," he chuckled and took a seat. "So how long have you known Gwen? If you don't mind me asking, of course," he quickly added.

"Almost five years, met her on her first day at the Department. I always say it was fate."

"Really?" he asked. "And how was that first meeting?"

"Well . . . she arrested me."

"Sorry, I think I misheard."

Adelaide shook her head, a soft blush spreading across her cheeks. "You didn't hear wrong."

"So you mean to say, she arrested you?"

"That's exactly it."

"But what for?" he couldn't fathom why a diplomat would be arrested.

"I was protesting the World Bank that had impose new restrictions on money loaned to El Salvador, money that had already been given and for the most part, spent. These requirements were completely absurd given the economic condition of the country and no one was listening to the Salvadoran Department of Magic, no one would pay attention to their diplomats, they kept telling them to just get with the program or else they'd be left in the dust. And so, me being me, I organized a protest in front of our Department of Magic. That protest turned into a sit in and we were eventually arrested. I was lucky because Gwen got me. The other Aurors weren't as considerate with how they handled the protestors. And I've just realized that I've given you too much information. Sorry, I'm prone to rambles. That's me, rambling Ada."

"Not at all, that, wasn't a ramble, believe me." His tea was placed before him. "Thank you."

To his thank you, she smiled. "The honey's right here and the sugar, is in this little container. Want some milk or cream?"

"This is fine, thank you." Remus proceeded to prepare his tea to his liking, as she took a seat across from him. "So Gwen arrested you and then what happened? You become friends on the way to the holding cell?"

"Hah no," she held her cup of coffee in her hands. "It was actually the day after. Apparently when she was taking me, I dropped my bag and someone handed it over to her, then she handed it back to me the next day at work. And I had a Rolling Stones album lying on my desk, can't remember which one, but she saw it and made a comment. We just started talking about music and then, well, we ended up being best friends. Strange beginning for a friendship, but that's how it went for us." Adelaide took a sip from her coffee. "How about you?" she asked. "How do you know her family?"

"I was in the Order with her mother."

"But you don't seem as old as her mom."

"Was only a boy when I first joined, seventeen to be precise," Remus took a moment to drink from his tea, using that time to reign in his emotions. "Madam Bones was already an internationally renowned Auror. Brilliant, absolutely brilliant she was. As is, undoubtedly, Gwen," he added. "We've all heard very good things about her."

"She's the best."

They grew quiet, each paying attention to their beverage.

"Sure you don't want to help me cook? It's, gonna be a boring time if you don't."

"But I'll make a mess of things." Remus protested.

"You're acting like I'd just stand there and let you make a mess of things. Believe me, Mr. Lupin; I'll say something before you can destroy these dishes. So drink up and when you're done, roll up your sleeves and come on over."

[i]She's mad,[/i] he thought, [i]she's absolutely barking mad.[/i] That was the only way he could explain her behavior towards him. Strangers were never that kind to him. They were always wary. He could see it in their eyes, in the way they treated him and although it hurt him, he couldn't really blame this. His appearance wasn't an approachable one. A disheveled man with scars etched across his face, isn't exactly the type of person that makes others feel at ease, but there she was. This friendly, talkative American that was treating him as she would, surely, treat any other and her behavior caught him off guard.

Remus wasn't accustomed to having someone want to cook with him or to hold a conversation over coffee, with him. Had his friends made it through the war, he would've been used to such common scenarios, but they hadn't. And he wasn't. So as he set down his empty cup, he took in a deep breath and walked over to the stove where she was placing the lasagna into the water to boil.

"What shall I do, Miss Adelaide?" he asked.

"You can either put the lasagna strips to boil or you can chop mushrooms. Whichever you prefer is alright."

"Not very nifty with a knife so I'll put those things to boil."

"Alright, here are the tongs and be careful not to get water on yourself." Adelaide handed him the cooking tongs.

Remus took them from her and carefully began placing other strips of pasta into the boiling water.

"Are you only making lasagna?"

"No, I'm – I mean, we're also making a casserole, a ham and some pastries. It'll be a nice little spread."

"We're making all that? But that'll take all night."

"Quit complaining," she chuckled. "You only have to help for as long as their meeting lasts. After that, you're free to go home and do whatever it is that people, who can't cook, do."

"I know that's a jab at me, but I have absolutely no problem with resuming my reading."

"What are you reading?"

"War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy," he answered. "Having a bit of trouble with the Russian but it's fantastic and mentally stimulating."

"It is," she wholeheartedly agreed. "I read it a few years back, but in English. To read it in Russian must be an entirely different experience. The text hasn't been tainted and meanings haven't been lost in translation."

"That's exactly what I'm finding out as I read it. I also read it once before, but was so taken with it that I just had to read it in its natural form."

"Is that why you learned Russian?"

"Not at all, you see, my grandmother on my father's side was Russian and as a child she was very keen on me learning the language. Was always giving me books to read, didn't talk to me unless I talked in Russian, which forced me to learn the language. Sadly, I butcher it whenever I speak it, but I read and write fluently. The only reason I'm having trouble with the Russian is because I'm out of practice, but with a few more chapters, I'll be back in the swing of it. And will be able to read Anna Karenina, after I finish War and Peace, with ease. Have you read Anna Karenina?"

It was then that a little smile graced her lips. She was doing exactly what she'd thought she'd be doing with him. She was discussing classic literature, it may not have been over tea but they were discussing it nonetheless and his thoughts were fascinating. There was no dull moment between them. They explored the text, analyzed it and perhaps to another their conversation would've been boring, tedious even, but to her it was one of the best conversations she'd held with someone in ages.

She was so delighted with it, that when she walked into work the next morning, she took a seat by Victoria and asked, "Have you ever met someone and just thought [i]I really want to get to know you better[/i]?"

Victoria spit out of her coffee, drenching the dark haired brunette that sat in front of her, with its caffeinated goodness. It was obvious that she was surprised and in her opinion, her surprise was warranted. Because in the six years that she'd been working with Adelaide, she had never seen or heard of the brunette being with anyone or taking an interest in anyone. Adelaide was just one of those people that were never in a relationship. All of her time was either spent at work or with her family or with a friend, but never with a lover. So to hear her say that she wanted to get to know someone better, was as good as hearing her say that she was in a relationship. At least in Victoria's mind, it was.

"You've met someone? You've finally met someone! So who is it? Tell me! Don't you dare keep this a secret!" she scooted closer to her, her eyes staring intently on the coffee splattered face of her friend.

"What? No! It's not like that."

"Really?" she cocked her brow. "Because wanting to get to know someone better always means it's like [i]that[/i]."

"Well it's not." Adelaide declared as she wiped off the coffee. "He's just . . . he's interesting, is all. Very intelligent and well spoken, he has so much to say and says it so eloquently. I just want to get to know him better to know his opinions. That's all. There's no romantic dimension to it. I mean. How can there be a romantic element to it, if I've only met him once? That'd be ridiculous."

"Yeah, because love at first sight is a completely absurd notion that no one talks about." Victoria replied sarcastically.

Adelaide chucked the used napkins at Victoria's face.

"So defensive," she stuffed the napkins into her emptied cup. "Did I strike a nerve? Think I did if you're tossing this at me."

"Don't flatter yourself, you didn't strike anything."

Victoria ignored her and hunched forwards. "So what's his name? Is he the new guy in the African division? What's his name? Devon! Is it Devon? You were smiling really wide when you met him . . ."

"It's not Devon."

"Then who is he? What Office does he work in? Give me a clue!"

Adelaide had half a mind to laugh. Her friend was acting like a teenage girl instead of a middle aged witch that had a husband and three children. The glint in Victoria's was one she'd never seen on the woman, it was one that reminded her of the look her best friend in high school had had when she told her that she fancied a boy named Oscar.

"He doesn't work here."

"Where does he work then?"

Adelaide shrugged, "Didn't ask."

"Well where'd you meet him then? At the grocery store? Book shop, maybe? A café?" she would've named more stores had Adelaide not interrupted her.

"I sort of met him at Gwen's house."

"NO!" she exclaimed. "You can't meet someone at your friend's house while you're there to comfort them. That's – well, I don't know [i]what[/i] that's against, but I know it's against some rule or another."

"It's not like I had a choice in the matter, he just showed up and I was there."

"Right," muttered Victoria, unconvinced. "So is he handsome?"

"Not really, but he has nice eyes that are –"

"Is he tall?" interjected Victoria, thinking that height would make up for a lack of looks.

"Just a bit taller than me, so not tall, not really," replied Adelaide.

"So he's not handsome, not tall, but he still caught your eye." Victoria pressed her finger against her chin. "Charming!" she declared. "He's charming, isn't he?"

"And well read," added Adelaide, excitedly. "He reads Russian novels for fun! Can you believe that? And he just doesn't read Leo Tolstoy; he reads his works in Russian! I've never met a man that's even picked up those novels and to have him say that he loves them so much that he reads them in Russian is just amazing. I know I sound really lame, but you should've heard his thoughts on the novels, I was just so taken by his words, his manner of expression. His mind is just so beautiful and I don't know . . . I just want to have coffee with him and discuss Dostoyevsky. Its lame isn't it?" she buried her face in her hands. "So lame . . ."

Victoria reached out to touch Adelaide's arm. "It's not lame, it's just not very exciting – well, by today's standards. But think of it this way, if this was the 40's or 50's, this would definitely be the way to find your future lover."

"It's not like that."

Victoria smirked inwardly. "We'll see how long it takes for it to be like that. Now pull yourself together, there's a meeting after lunch and apparently the Office head is sitting in with the division this morning."


	4. Chapter 4

"Given the unprecedented events that have taken place at our embassy in London, the Office has found itself forced to take immediate action to ensure that Americans overseas will have a fully staffed embassy to turn to." The Office head, a balding man by the name of Nelson Agnew, spoke. "That being said, it is my duty to inform you that we will be filling the positions in London, with diplomats stationed at this branch. Those with least seniority are the ones that will be taken into consideration."

"By least seniority, do you mean those that have been with the Office the least amount of time or with their division?" asked Joseph Fitzgerald, a diplomat with the European division.

"The Office," Nelson declared, his eyes darting from one diplomat to the other. "The files for those being taken into consideration have already been pulled and will be carefully reviewed by the Secretary of Magic, the Head of Magical Law Enforcement and myself. Those that will be reassigned will be informed no later than Friday, three pm. Now, are there any questions?"

Hands immediately shot up in the air, struggling to remain still when their basic instinct was to wave around frantically. They had to remain poised, respectable, even when they were panicking. Nelson scanned the meeting room, his eyes landing on one diplomat and then another, until finally landing upon Adelaide's face.

"Miss Thirlby." Nelson called on her.

"Are we to know the list of those being taken into consideration?" she asked.

"I would recommend talking amongst yourselves, I'm positive you'll be able to figure it out." Nelson replied, clearly thinking her question a waste of time. "Anyone else have a question?"

Fucking prick, thought Adelaide. She'd never cared for Nelson Agnew. No one really did. He was a gluttonous man that wore expensive suits and thought he could get away with everything, just because he came from a very well respected magical family. He used their reputation to his advantage, calling upon the legacy of his father and late grandfather to coast by on doing the minimum. Adelaide hated him. Whenever she saw that balding head of his, she always imagined punching right between the eyes, so as to knock him back and bruise his nose. It was a violent thought that she'd never have the courage to actually carry out. Perhaps it was because she would never actually do it that she so often daydreamt of punching him. That was the only way she could get out her aggression towards him. And in her mind, there wasn't anything wrong with fantasizing about hurting her boss. Most people fantasized about hitting their boss. They just never did it because they wanted to keep a roof over their heads.

The meeting ended shortly after, leaving the diplomats free to return to their respective offices where they would discuss who they thought was being considered. Adelaide walked alongside Victoria, her brow furrowed in an unattractive fashion and her dark brown eyes firmly fixed on the ground, as if it were the one that had annoyed her.

"One of these days, I'm just gonna punch him in that smug fucking face of his," Adelaide mumbled angrily. "I mean, who the hell does he think he is? Talking to me like that? I could just hear the contempt oozing from his every word. Ugh. He's so frustrating!"

"He is," agreed Victoria. "And believe it or not, he's actually gotten better. I remember when he was just a diplomat, oh, it was hell. I felt bad for the Canadians that had to deal with him."

"They actually sent him out on meetings?"

Victoria nodded. "Apparently, they thought he'd be a good fit with the Canadians, since their diplomats are always so polite. And it worked out, they humored him well enough, but I swear the world laughed at this country, when they made that oaf the Office Head."

"And why did they make him Office Head? I don't get that."

"His father donated to the right people and Nelson's been here ever since."

"So we're going to be stuck with him until his dad stops giving money?"

"Seems like it." Victoria held open their office door. "Want to make a list of who might be relocated?" she asked as she walked over to her desk.

"No . . . alright, yeah, I do." Adelaide pulled up a chair to Victoria's desk. "But I'm nervous about it. I mean, I've been here five years, which seems like a long time, but I'm starting to think that it might not be as long as I think it is and that I'll get shipped out. Do you think they'll ship me out?"

"Not really sure." Victoria was sincere. "If it's worth anything, I hope not. It'll be strange to come into work and not have you there, with that grin of yours."

"Thought you said my grin annoyed you."

"It does. Then again, any single, childless person that's smiling annoys me." Victoria pulled out a sheet of paper. "I see them smiling and all I think is, look at this jerk, they probably slept eight hours and didn't have to make breakfast or fix someone else's lunch. Don't get me wrong. I love my family, really I do, but sometimes I just want to sleep like I did when I was single. There's nothing like sleeping ten uninterrupted hours. Oh. I can't even remember the last time I slept four." Victoria let out a soft sigh. "Listen to me, going on and on about how much I miss sleep. Sound like such an old woman. And I am. Forty-nine is up there."

"Forty's the new thirty."

"I'm about to enter fifty."

"Nuh-uh, you're about to enter forty." Adelaide took off her blazer. "You know, if you want I can watch the kids while you and Joaquin run off for a weekend."

"That's sweet, but I'd rather run off alone."

"Why?" she nearly laughed.

"Because if I go with my husband, he'll want to have sex and be all romantic," Victoria explained. "And all I want to do is have some wine, watch a few movies, wear shapeless clothing and sleep. That's my idea of a weekend getaway."

"Am I gonna be like you when I grow up?" teased Adelaide.

"Presumably worse," replied Victoria. "But who knows, maybe your Russian enthusiast will be a homemaker and you'll sleep to your hearts content."

"Are you gonna keep going on about him?"

"Mhm," replied Victoria. "Now that romance is finally on your horizon, I'm going to live vicariously through you."

"Victoria, I think you've finally lost your mind."

"Lost that, years, ago," she began to jot down the title on the paper. "So . . . let's get started on this list, yes?"

Adelaide nodded.

"We know that Devon's only been here two weeks, so he's certainly going to be considered. And then there's Mark from the European division, he's been here . . ."

"Almost a year," Adelaide spoke.

Victoria scribbled that down. "And who else? I feel like the Asian division had new personnel recently."

"Not that recently. Last time they got new people was around two years ago, when Jeffrey and Maura were hired."

"Right, right," their names were also jotted down. "Anyone else come to mind?"

". . . uh, I think the Canadian division got a new one a few years back . . . Wilson, I think."

"The one that's always saying jokes that, aren't funny and then gets upset when no one laughs?"

"That's the one!" exclaimed Adelaide. "Think he got here a little bit after I did."

"We'll put him down for four years." Victoria paused before asking, "So anyone else?"

"Me."

"Don't be silly. They only have to fill three positions and there are already five to choose from."

"So you don't think they'll put me into consideration?"

"In my mind, no," Victoria took off her reading glasses. "You're meant to be in this division. And that's that."

But that wasn't that. Victoria may have been the head of the Latin American division, but she wasn't the Office Head and come Friday, three pm, Adelaide was amongst the three diplomats that were summoned to Nelson's office. Her heart nearly stopped when his secretary called her to go to the office. She had half a mind to just slip out the door and pretend she hadn't been called, but she knew she couldn't do that. She was an adult. Adults couldn't just run away from her problems. That's what her father had taught her and so she went to the office, where she was greeted by Mark and Wilson, whom were waiting on the couch outside Nelson's office.

She understood why they were there. Mark dealt primarily with Western European countries, mostly the United Kingdom and France. He already had contacts in the British Ministry. Wilson dealt solely with Canada, which allotted him time to immerse himself in the complex relationship between the Canadian Ministry and the British one. Through that, he gained a good understanding of how the British Ministry worked. Those two fit in London, but her, not so much. She specialized in Latin America. She had learned Spanish through a nanny that had raised her in the absence of her deceased mother. She had even gone on to study the different sayings from the various countries in Latin America. Adelaide had truly immersed herself in her division, so to take her from there and throw her into Britain didn't make sense.

The only reason she could think, of why they reassigned her was because she'd minored in British politics during her time at Harvard. But that didn't mean anything. Not really. She had learned, she had attained a rather high grade point average, but her knowledge was strictly text book. There was no real world experience. It was like having a student do nothing but read medical text books and then expect them to complete surgery without them ever having had lab time. It made no sense to her and when it was her turn to enter Nelson's office, she made her opinion perfectly clear.

"I can't be transferred." Adelaide declared. "I have no formal experience with the British diplomats and have a pending case with the Chilean Department of Magic. I am thankful that I was considered for the position but I must insist that I am unfit for the assignment."

Nelson stared at her for a moment, his lips pressed into a thin line and beads of sweat forming along his balding head. He was exhausted. The week had been draining on him and he wanted to put an end to the fiasco in Britain as soon as possible, so he leant forwards in his desk, his eyes narrowing slightly and proceeded to speak.

"This assignment can not be turned down. It is yours to fulfill."

"With all due respect sir, I am unfit for it."

"Unfit? Not at all, at least, not according to your file," he held up the thick file that documented her adult life. "It says here, that you were educated at Harvard where you minored in British politics. You were taught by Professor Barbara Feingold, who is the most celebrated political scientist in British politics. So for you to say that you are unfit is nonsensical."

"I minored in British politics, because my father asked me to. I never wished to follow a career in British politics or in European affairs which is why I majored in Latin American policy. And I insist that I should not be reassigned."

"Is it because you're afraid?"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Nelson smiled deviously. "That's it. Isn't it? You're afraid of what's going on in Britain. That's why you don't want to be reassigned. Must say I never took your for a coward."

"Coward?" her right brow began to twitch, a sign that she was growing frustrated.

"Yes. A coward," he said simply.

"You clearly haven't read my file, because if you had, you would've read that I went into Columbia with a group of Aurors to aid in the rescue of muggle children that were being held captive by a group of rogue wizards. You would have read that I acted as translator when spells were being shot everywhere. So don't . . . don't call me a coward, because the cowards are the silver spoon diplomats that sent in their request to be transferred after Voldemort came back."

"So by your logic my brother in law is a coward?"

"If he sent in a request to be reassigned, he is." Adelaide hadn't thought of what she'd said, she was so caught up in the moment that she failed to recognize her statement as career suicide.

"Miss Thirlby," he said her in a deathly calm voice. "I want you to pay very close attention to what I am about to say. You will accept your assignment at our embassy in London. You will carry out your tasks and perhaps, when their war blows over, you will be reassigned to the Latin American division. If you refuse to be reassigned, then you will be fired."

"You can't fire me for not wanting to move!" she hissed.

"You're right, I can't, but I can fire you for something else. Perhaps a diplomat from Uruguay will think you're rude and incredibly difficult to work with. Perhaps it'll be one from Guatemala or even Peru."

Adelaide wanted to tell him to go fuck himself. That she didn't need the job that badly, but although the words formed on her lips, she couldn't bring herself to say them. She had a mortgage that needed to be paid, a car that had to be paid off and bills, so many bills. Her job allowed her to live a comfortable life, a life in which she never went without and could indulge herself. If she were to lose her job she wouldn't be able to keep her lifestyle, so instead of saying fuck you, she held it in – like so many others across the world do – and settled for nodding her head in a sign of understanding.

"Now that that's settled, Kathleen will give you the packet informing you of what is expected of you. There will be a mandatory meeting at 8 am on Monday. I suggest you get there early."

"Wait," she interjected. "When are we expected to begin in London?"

"Three weeks time," he replied. "Next week has been set apart for the diplomats to make the necessary arrangements for their homes. The week after will be devoted to moving into the flats we have for the diplomats, as well as to set up the offices and the following week the work begins. Now if you excuse me, I have another meeting to go to. So please, go back to your division."

One day, Adelaide was going to send a nasty hex his way, but today wasn't that day, so she stood up and walked out of the office, her lips pressed into a thin line and her brow twitching in an almost violent manner. When she reached the division, Victoria practically leapt from her seat and just as she was about to ask her what had happened, Adelaide told her the news.

"I'm being reassigned."

"There has to be something we can do. Perhaps I can write a detailed letter explaining why the division necessitates your presence."

"Don't think that'll work."

"And why not?" asked Victoria.

"Because I called his brother in law a coward," stated Adelaide.

"Ada . . . no, tell me you're joking."

"Wish I was."

"Why would you do that?" asked an exasperated Victoria.

"He called me a coward and I got worked up. You know how I get when I get worked up. I don't think!"

Victoria shook her head. "Maybe I can salvage the situation. I'll make some calls and hopefully something will get straightened out."

"Don't."

"Don't you want to stay here?"

"Yeah, but," she lowered her voice to a whisper. "Nelson said if I don't go, he'd find a way to fire me so I think its better that I go and this way, I'll get to be there for Gwen. That'll . . . that'll be worth it."

"QUE? QUE? (What? What?)" roared Victoria in Spanish. "No! No! I'm going to go have a word with human resources and . . ."

"Don't make a big deal out of this." Adelaide placed her hand atop Victoria's. "This doesn't need to be made into a big issue. I'll just go to London. The war will blow over soon enough and then I'll come back."

"That's not the point."

"I know what the point is, but I have a mortgage. I need this job to pay my bills and you do to, so just forget about taking it up with human resources."

"Adelaide . . ."

"Just forget it. There's nothing I can do to get me out of going to London so I'll make the best of it. I'll set up a home in the house they stick me in and I'll find Theo a new puppy daycare. I'll even be able to spend more time with Gwen. It'll be alright."

Victoria remained unconvinced. "I have friends, you know, in high places. They might not be as high at the Department of Magic, as Nelson's are, but in Latin America, I am the American official that everyone knows and if I were to tell the Secretaries of Magic and Ministers for Magic that I need a friend to remain in my division, I'm sure they'd be more than willing to help an old friend."

Adelaide was tempted to take Victoria's offer. She honestly didn't feel like relocating to London. The move would be strenuous, she'd have to look for a new daycare so that Theo would be on her sleeping schedule and she hadn't a clue as to where she'd find caregivers as outstanding as the ones he currently had. But as much as she wanted to remain at her current post, she knew she couldn't bring Victoria into this.

"I really appreciate you wanting to help, but I feel like I should just go. It'd be easier that way."

"But what if you get hurt?"

"There's no reason for me to get hurt. I'm an American diplomat."

"An American diplomat with a muggle-born father and a muggle mother," added Victoria. "In America, that's not an issue, but that's what they're fighting about over there and I. . ." her voice cracked. "I worry that something may happen to you."

"If I get hurt, an investigation will get launched. The Department will want to know what happened and if they find out that Voldemort or someone in the British Ministry was involved, then . . . I don't know, maybe a war will erupt. America does have a penchant for war. And he may a vile fiend but I'm sure he knows that, so he'll think twice before taking out a . . . well, I don't really know how to describe my blood. Am I a muggle-born? Is that it?"

"You're a witch." Victoria declared. "That's all there is to it."

"Then don't let your mind fixate on what they'll think about my blood. You said it yourself, I'm a witch. And everything will work out."


	5. Chapter 5

Adelaide wasn't in the mood to socialize. The news Agnew had given her, made her want to curl up on the couch with a bottle of wine and a romantic tragedy that would have her crying before the bottle was even done. She was well aware of just how absurd she sounded, but it was the truth. Adelaide wanted to be alone. Well, not completely alone, she wanted Theo to be there. That precious creature had a soothing presence that always managed to calm her down, so he had to be there. But sadly he wasn't. He wasn't curled up beside her on the couch. And Adelaide wasn't even on the couch. She was standing on the doorstep of Gwen's parent's home, contemplating whether or not she could hire a caterer on such short notice. Sure it was only the day before the funeral, but it was still early in America.

In New York, it was barely six in the evening. And in California, it was only three in the afternoon. So if she was smart about it, she could find a restaurant that would cater to her needs, but as tempting as that sounded, Adelaide couldn't do that to Gwen. Adelaide wasn't the sort that could go back on her word. If she promised to do something, she went to great lengths to ensure that it was not only finished, but that it had been done to the best of her abilities. That was a trait that she shared with her late father, as well as her brother. That was how their dad had raised them. He always said that the only thing a person truly has in the world, is their word. And that they should always own up to it, which was why Adelaide was in Surrey, instead of Vermont.

"Gwen!" she bellowed as she knocked on the door. "Better hurry up! I've got to get started if I want to finish on time."

There was shuffling on the other side of the door and then, there was Gwen's voice. "Who is it?"

"Do I really have to do this?"

"Yes! I've already told you that this is necessary protocol."

"But it's me," whined Adelaide. "No one's gonna try to impersonate me! People over here don't even know who I am, so I'm safe."

"Be that as it may, that doesn't mean we don't have to go through this." Gwen paused before continuing, "So who it is?"

"Lady Adelaide Sinclair Thirlby," declared Adelaide.

"What were the first words I ever spoke to you?" her hand rested on the doorknob.

"Uh . . . I don't . . . I don't really remember."

"How do you not remember?"

"It was a busy day! Don't really remember much about what happened when you grabbed me. All I remember is that you grabbed me by the arm and dragged me away. You were humming a song. Not sure what it was but you were humming it."

Gwen let out a sigh and opened the door. "That'll do for today, but next time you really have to answer the question right."

"Then ask questions I'll know the answers to." Adelaide flashed her, a smile.

"You were supposed to remember what I said that time." Gwen reached out for two of the grocery bags. "Here, let me help."

"Thanks."

"How was work?" asked Gwen as she locked the door behind them and placed a protective enchantment.

Horrible, was what she wanted to say, but she didn't dare. Her friend had enough to deal with and to add her own drama to the pile wouldn't be fair. So instead of answering honestly, she put on a bright smile and said, "Oh you know, same as always." Adelaide followed Gwen to the kitchen. "So how was your day?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Same as all the others," she answered halfheartedly. "I am so ready for this . . . this funeral to be done with. Sounds horrible, doesn't it?" she placed the grocery bags on the counter. "Shouldn't be thinking that, let alone saying it. But it's the truth. I've never been so tired of anything in all my life. I'm tired of having guests show up at all hours with sweets that I have no intention of eating and stew that they claim has curative properties. Can you believe that? They actually told me that stew would make me feel better! Had half a mind to chuck it in their faces, but dad would've killed me. And I don't want him having to plan a second funeral so soon."

"I could help him." Adelaide joked, hoping that it would make Gwen laugh, if only for a second.

Sure enough, the corners of her lips began to hitch upwards. They didn't go into a full on smile, there was no childish grin on her face, but for a moment . . . for a moment, her expression turned into a small smile that showed that she was amused, but not overly amused. That smile was taken as a good sign by Adelaide and without saying anything further; she began pulling food from the enchanted grocery bags. The food was then sorted according to which dishes they belonged in and for the next three hours, Adelaide worked relentlessly on preparing the assortment of dishes.

"Are you sure you don't need any help?" asked Gwen for what felt like the hundredth time. Might not be very skilled in the kitchen, but I'm sure I can manage stirring one thing or another."

"I'm sure you can, but I'm alright. Really," Adelaide smiled reassuringly. "Why don't you try to get some sleep? Tomorrow's gonna be a long day . . . you're gonna need your strength."

"I know, I know." Gwen mumbled. "But you're going to be up all night, cooking for my guests and I just . . . I don't know, doesn't seem, right. Feels like I'm taking advantage of you and I don't want to."

Adelaide stopped chopping the vegetables. "You're not taking advantage of me."

"Then why do I feel like I am?" she leant against the doorframe. "If it were a handful of people, it wouldn't be so bad but it's supposed to be a large crowd, somewhere around a hundred or so. People hire caterers to feed that many people or they borrow house elves from a friend, but I've got you working here like a –"

"I offered." Adelaide interjected, putting down the knife. "And besides, you know I like to cook . . . helps me relax."

"But it's just too much. There are too many people and I feel like I've been using you to much. You've already done enough with sorting things out at the Department and now you're here cooking at," she glanced at the clock, "At almost two in the morning! Doesn't that seem wrong? Especially since you were at work all day," added Gwen.

"This is what friends do for each other. They help out when the other has a lot going for them. Don't think I've forgotten how much you helped when my dad passed away. If it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't have been able to get through it."

"You make it sound like I actually did anything. All I did was stay over. That's it."

"And you held me while I cried. That might not seem like a whole lot, but it meant the world to me. And I really want to be there for you like you were there for me and since you're not one for mourning in front of others, then at least let me do this. Let me make sure that you're not stressing more than you absolutely have to."

"But –"

"Not arguing over this anymore. I've got lasagnas that need to be cooked as well as casseroles and turkey and some hams, so go on. Off to bed."

"There's no reasoning with you."

"There's not," agreed Adelaide, a tired little smile on her face. "Now go. Can't be distracted if I want to finish everything and get a nap in."

"Alright, but if you need me just get me."

"I will." Adelaide promised.

In truth, Adelaide had absolutely no intention of waking up her friend. She didn't need help. Nor did she want it. Adelaide simply wanted to be left alone in the kitchen, alone with her thoughts and alone with the food. Cooking truly was a stress reliever for her, and with the way things were going with the Department, staying up all night cooking, was exactly what she needed to do. If she hadn't been over at Gwen's the odds were that she would've curled up on her own couch for awhile and then wandered into the kitchen to cook. That was how Adelaide was. If she was having a shit day, she cooked. She would make everything she could possibly make, eat a bit of it and then take the plates to her brother and his partner, or to the office.

For the next six hours, Adelaide did nothing but cook and bake. She made hundreds of cookies and pastries. She made so much food that there would surely be some left over. That was another habit of Adelaide's. She always cooked more than people would actually eat. She did it because she was afraid of running out of food during a party. To her, that would be humiliating. And so she cooked to ensure that no one at the party would go hungry, she cooked so that they could even take a plate home, if they so desired. With the food finished, Adelaide proceeded to set up the dining room as the buffet area and by the time the clock was nearing eight, she had finished setting everything up and was walking into Gwen's bedroom, to wake her up.

"Gwen." Adelaide stood beside the bed. "Gwen . . . you need to wake up. It's almost eight."

"Fuck off." Gwen muttered into her pillow, her eyes shut tight.

"Wish I could, but given the circumstances, I won't be able to fuck off until this day's over. So get up. There's still a lot that needs to be done and I can't do it alone."

Gwen lifted her face from her pillow. Her eyes opened just a crack as she glared at her friend. "Don't you see I'm trying to sleep? How would you like it if I just showed up at your house and woke you up? Think you'd have a laugh?"

"Forgot how unreasonable you are in the mornings," she muttered. "Look, Gwen. You need to get out of bed, throw on some clothes and grab your wand so we can start setting up for the funeral."

That did it. Her eyes snapped wide open and she leapt out of bed, her light brown hair an absolute mess. "What time is it?" she asked as her eyes adjusted to the light.

"Quarter to eight."

"Bloody hell!" she cursed. "Service starts at ten. People will start arriving at nine . . . oh no. Nothing's set up! Damn it. Can't believe I overslept on a day like this," she muttered angrily.

"Calm down. The foods set up. Its warm and I have all the plates and stuff in the dining room area. So the guest can just come in and serve themselves. Plus, it won't take long to get the outside area ready for the service. We're witches, remember?"

"Right . . ." she picked up a shirt from her suitcase and slipped it on. The same was done with a pair of pants. "Sorry for that. It's just . . . not going to be a pleasant day. And I think my mind might be threatening to shut off on me."

"Happens to everyone," Adelaide reassured softly.

"Rather it, not happen today." Gwen slipped on her trainers, a pair of sensible black walking shoes. "Get any sleep?"

"A bit," Adelaide lied.

"Sure about that? You look tired."

"When have I ever not looked tired?"

"Let me rephrase that, you look more tired than usual."

"That's because I'm not wearing any makeup. Once I throw some on, I'll look alright. Now let's go. Saw your dad roaming when I was walking up and we can't let him set things up. He's not . . . he's not all there. Looks really torn," she whispered the last bit softly.

"Hope he won't do anything rash today. Keeps talking about how he's lost his better half. It's romantic. Know it is. But I don't like seeing him that way. My dad's always been very put together. Very ready for life, but doesn't seem that way anymore . . . seems like he's just going through the motions of it all."

"What else can you expect from him?"

"Don't know. Suppose he could keep a stiff upper lip. That's what everyone says Brits are good at."

"Maybe if he loved her less, he could."

"Sometimes I wish he did. This whole thing would be easier, more reasonable if he did. I mean. Who keeps a dead body in their bedroom for a week? That's just mental."

Adelaide nodded in agreement. "I can't defend that. That is pretty crazy."

For a moment, Gwen closed her eyes, the image of her father sobbing wildly into her mother's hair, striking her. He'd spent all of Thursday in that fashion. Refusing to eat or sleep, just so he could hold her awhile longer. She worried about what the future held for him. He'd promised to help the order with potions and droughts, but he no longer seemed to be up for it. His thoughts were on his deceased wife and she feared that he might do something incredibly rash just to be with her. Oh. Gwen truly hoped he wouldn't. Losing both her parents would be more than she could endure.

"We should smoke." Gwen spoke.

"Right now?" asked Adelaide.

"No. Not right now. Once everything's been set up, let's just smoke. Need it or else I'll hex someone today. I can feel it. The magic's restless in me. Being cooped up in here hasn't done any good. And if something says or does something stupid or annoying. I'll be liable to hex them with something real nasty."

"Well, in that case let's go. I've been itching for a smoke as well. And it's always better to smoke with a friend."

The following thirty seven minutes were spent readying the garden area for the service and burial. Amelia Bones was set to be buried underneath the massive willow tree that she had loved so dearly. And since the tree was to be such a vocal point, it was decorated with beautiful white roses that made it seem like a massive rose bush instead of a willow tree. The entire garden was decorated in the same fashion; there was white roses and white fabric everywhere. Had a stranger stumbled across it, they would've thought a wedding were taking place and not a funeral.

When the pair finished getting everything ready, they climbed up to the old tree house that Gwen had spent much of her childhood in. It was there that they smoked three tightly packed bowls of marijuana. They didn't bother lacing it with tobacco. It was pure. It was strong. By the time that they finished smoking, Gwen felt substantially calmer. She was ready to endure what lay ahead. And Adelaide, well, she felt relaxed; as if she had gotten a proper nights rest.

At a little after nine, the first guests began to arrive. It was Gwen's uncle Luke and his family. As time went on, more and more guest arrived. Everyone was dressed in black, with their finest expressions of mourning, fashioned onto their faces. There were diplomats, Aurors, secretaries, shop owners, homemakers; witches and wizards of every rank. They'd all arrived to pay their respects to a witch whom was always firm but fair. Each carried a few words of comfort for the widower and the daughter, hoping that it would be enough to convey their deepest sympathies and to inspire hope for them to continue living. And as they began to file into the garden, they knew that this funeral would be the first of many to come.

The funeral services were officiated by Dumbledore, whom expressed his desire to do so on the day he visited with Remus. His words were lovely as ever, comforting even, but not a single one was given attention to by Adelaide. She simply sat to the right of Gwen, her face slightly tilted downwards to allow her hair to act as a shield that kept others from seeing her tears. She hated funerals. They reminded her of her father's absence in her life and although it had been almost three years since his passing, she couldn't go to a funeral without feeling that it was his. Reliving that was horrible. It was something that she wouldn't wish on anyone, not even her worst enemy. And as she sat there, silently weeping, she couldn't help but wonder what it had been like for her brother to sit through their mother's funeral.

He was just a child when it happened, only five years old, and he had been extremely close to his mother while growing up. They were inseparable. Wherever one went, the other was surely there. And it was because of his strong love for his mother that he had resented Adelaide throughout his childhood and adolescence. He viewed his younger sister as his mother's murderer, the sole reason why the loving muggle was no longer in his life. She felt bad that he had had to go through that on his own. No child should lose their parents. And as Adelaide thought more and more about what her brother had gone through, her weeping intensified.

"Now for her husband, Henry Reynolds, to say some words . . ." declared Dumbledore.

Dumbledore's booming voice snapped Adelaide from her thoughts. She discreetly wiped away the fallen tears from her cheeks and looked in Henry's direction. Her heart plummeted when she saw the lost expression on his face. He was in no condition to be giving speeches. The poor man looked liable to pass out or vomit in front of everyone.

"Henry . . ." Dumbledore called to him.

From her thoughts, Gwen was roused back into reality. Her eyes darted to her father, watching to see if he made a move. He didn't. He just sat there. His eyes bloodshot, his face stained with tears. He wasn't going to move. There wouldn't be any touching words from the widower. Not with the way he was.

"Not talking." Gwen mouthed to Dumbledore.

"Forgive me," he apologized to the crowd. "I misspoke. We are not to hear words from Henry but instead from Gwyneth, the daughter of Amelia Bones."

As steadily as she could, she walked up the path to the altar. She could feel everyone's gaze burning into her back. She could imagine the thoughts buzzing around in their minds. Poor thing, they'd say . . . poor thing. When she reached the altar, she slowly turned to face the crowd, overwhelmed by the sea faces that stared at her. She parted her lips to commence. There was no sound. Again she parted them, willing herself to say what needed to be said.

"My mother was an extraordinary woman . . ." she began her speech.

From her seat, Adelaide watched as Gwen delivered a heartfelt speech. She was so moved by the words that she was rendering a blubbering mess in front of everyone. She didn't care if anyone saw her crying. They were all at a funeral and people cry at funerals. There was nothing strange about it. So she cried. She cried and cried until the funeral ended and the wizards in charge of cremating the remains, arrived. Then, for only a moment, she composed herself enough to announce to everyone that there was food in the dining room for them. After that, she slipped away unnoticed and wandered off to the abandoned shed that was located along the west side of the house.

She sat there in silence, her brow furrowed unattractively as she wept. Adelaide was disappointed in herself for not having had better control over her emotions. She was comfortable with expressing her feelings around others and crying, but she felt that she should have been more composed so that Gwen could rely on her. She was supposed to be there for Gwen, but instead she was crying in a desolate area.

"Why are you acting like such a child?" she whispered to herself. "Gwen needs help right now and you're here . . . crying. You need to pull yourself together, Ada. Pull yourself together."

Adelaide stopped talking to herself when she heard footsteps nearing. Instinctively, she turned to see whoever it was that was walking towards her and when her eyes landed on the familiar face of Remus Lupin, she felt relieved.

"Forgive me, Miss Adelaide, I didn't mean to intrude."

"Don't worry. You're not intruding."

"Are you quite certain? I can leave if need be."

"No need to leave." Adelaide sniffled and pushed back the hair from her face. "Was just sitting here, thinking."

"Funerals always have a way of making one reflect."

Adelaide nodded in agreement. "And what do you reflect on?" she asked, quietly.

"Me? Well . . . I suppose I reflect on my own mortality. That seems to be my main thought as of late, but that's to be expected with this war raging. And you?" he inquired. "On what do you reflect?"

"Family, mostly," her eyes watered as she thought of her father.

Remus, unsure of what to do, did the only thing he could think of. He offered her some chocolate. "Chocolate?" he asked, pulling out a large piece from his pocket.

"Did you just ask me if I want chocolate?" she fought the urge to smile.

"Do you not like chocolate?"

"I love chocolate." Adelaide reassured. "It's just, no one's casually asked me if I want chocolate since I was a teenager."

"Well I'm asking you if you'd like some." Remus smiled. "There's absolutely nothing better for melancholy than chocolate."


	6. Chapter 6

"Why the hell do you have to move to London? Can't you just apparate to work everyday and then go home?" asked Nathaniel, Adelaide's older brother.

"Technically speaking, I could. But according to the Department, we have to model our experience as diplomats, after the muggle diplomat experience," she replied.

"That's the stupidest thing I've heard all day. I mean. Why do you have to move? Why are they making this into a big issue where you have to move country and set up residence somewhere else? Are they at least paying for the place you're living at? Or are you gonna have to pay your mortgage back here and rent over there?"

"The American Department of Magic owns property in Westminster." Adelaide explained. "There are two homes that they bought more than a century ago and it's been remodeled so that the diplomats and their families can live there, rent free."

"Well, at least there's that. But I just don't see why you have to move. It seems stupid to put diplomats through that when they can just apparate."

"That's exactly what I told them, but we have to follow protocol."

"Fuck protocol."

"Really?" she laughed. "Are you, the Auror, really saying, fuck, protocol?"

Nathaniel fought back a smile. "In this instance, yeah, because I don't want you living there by yourself. I don't care that there's gonna be other diplomats living in the same building, that doesn't make me feel any better about the fact that my little sister's gonna be in a country where people like her – like us, are being persecuted. How am I supposed to sleep at night?"

"Oh, I'm sure you won't be having trouble sleeping at night." Adelaide shot a look over at her brother's boyfriend of nine years, Manuel.

Manuel burst into laughter.

"Manny!" exclaimed Nathaniel. "Don't laugh at that."

"But it's funny stuff." He shot Nathaniel a smile, the type that made his dimples stand out even more than usual.

Nathaniel shook his head. "You two are just trying to get me off topic."

"Not even," Adelaide tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I was just saying that you're gonna sleep alright, while I'm in England. Absolutely nothing wrong with saying that. Right Manny?" she asked innocently.

"Absolutely right," Manuel stood up from his chair. "We should probably get going if we want to make our reservation."

"Thought you guys were cooking." Adelaide said.

"Neither of us felt like cooking so we figured we'd go out to eat, instead." Manuel explained.

"Then why'd you say I could bring Theo?" she looked down at the small Chihuahua on her lap. "Restaurants won't let him in, even if he's adorable. Isn't that right, Theo? Ah. Don't lick me! I just saw you licking your private bits."

"There's some dog food left over from the last time we babysat. Just put that in a plate for him and turn on the television, he'll be cool with that." Nathaniel slipped on his jacket. "But I guess, if you really want, we can order some take out and just eat here or you can cook, but that's only if you want."

"Jerks!" she exclaimed. "You two only said you made reservations so I'd cook for you."

"What? No, we'd never do that." Manuel grinned.

Adelaide shook her head. "You guys are ridiculous. If you wanted me to cook, you could've just told me. I could've picked some steaks up from the –"

"Already did," interjected Nathaniel. "Manny picked some up after work."

"Don't worry, made sure they were filet mignons. I know how picky you are when it comes to steak." Manuel paused before adding, "And I even brought those mushrooms you like so much. Oh! And potatoes, I brought potatoes so you can make them au gratin."

"So basically, you guys invited me over to cook your favorite meal?"

They smiled sheepishly.

"Well, it's not like you're always cooking for us." Nathaniel stated.

"It's only like once . . . maybe twice a month," added Manuel.

Adelaide placed Theo beside her and patted down her skirt. "You guys are lucky I love you and that I'm starving. Now, go keep Theo entertained. Run around with him in the backyard, because soon my poor boy, isn't gonna have a yard to play with. And Manuel?" she turned to him.

"Yes?" he replied.

"Please tell me you picked up some Cabernet Sauvignon?" she loved a good glass of wine with steak.

"No. I brought a twelve pack of Corona," he replied sarcastically. "Of course, I brought back some bottles of Cabernet! Just because I'm a Quidditch coach, doesn't mean I've got a poor palate."

"That restaurant you took me for brunch a few weeks ago, suggests otherwise," she said in a singsong voice.

"Hey! I thought you liked the food." Manuel huffed, trying to look offended.

"It was great on the way down, but on the way out, it was such a pain." Adelaide grabbed at her buttocks, as if to relieve the horror that the restaurant's minor case of food poisoning had caused her.

"Fine, I'll never take you to that Thai place again. From now on, we'll have our brunch dates here and you can cook for me. Better?"

"Awe, no need to get so worked up, my dear," she wrapped her arms around his waist, and looked up at him. "Don't you know that only Thirlby's are allowed to be overdramatic? You're the one that has to be rational for our sakes."

Manuel held back his smile, trying to pretend to be upset with her just a little longer.

"If you promise to take me out to that café in downtown on Wednesday, I promise I'll whip up that chocolate cake you love."

"Chocolate frosting, too?" he whispered.

"Chocolate frosting and chocolate sprinkles."

"Ah. Fuck it. Alright, I can never stay mad at you, Thirlby's."

"It's because we're so charming." Adelaide joked. "Now come on," she grabbed his hand. "Take me to the steaks. And then go get the grill ready!"

In about an hour's time, Adelaide finished making the au gratin potatoes and the rest of the meal. The chocolate cake was barely baking in the oven, but by the time they were halfway done with their dinner, it would be ready to take out and cool for decorating. Her brother insisted that she didn't have to make dessert as well, that he could drop by the store and pick up a chocolate cake to satisfy his partner's craving, but Adelaide insisted that she didn't mind making it. In all honesty, she didn't. She liked going over to their house for dinner, it made her feel happy, like her family was still together despite everything they'd gone through.

There had once been a time, when Nathaniel wouldn't even talk to her. For many years, he blamed her for their mother's death and it wasn't until she was seventeen that she worked up the courage to tell him off for being such a dick to her. That was when he realized what an asshole he'd been. That was when he finally came to terms that it wasn't her fault that their mom had died. It had been tragic circumstances, complications during birth and Adelaide wasn't to blame for it. It took them, years to be able to have as close a relationship as they currently did, but it was worth it. They loved each other dearly, they had a sincere appreciation for one another and they both knew that their parents would've been proud of them, happy that they were as close as they were.

"Whoever you marry is gonna be one fat man," stated Nathaniel after they finished eating, his stomach full and feeling like it would burst at any moment.

"He is," agreed Manuel, his head slightly tilted back.

"I'm not even dating anyone and you guys are saying my husband's gonna be fat." Adelaide took a sip from her wine. "Don't think I'd mind if he was fat. He needs to have a good appreciation for food, because if he's gonna be picky and not want to eat what I make, then that relationship's not gonna work."

"Doubt anyone wouldn't want to eat something you make. Oh. Shouldn't have had that extra slice of cake," mumbled Manuel. "I can feel the indigestion."

"There's some mineral water in the fridge. Go drink some of that." Nathaniel said.

"How am I supposed to drink water when the button's gonna fly off my pants?" asked Manuel.

"Well, it's either you force some water down or else you won't be able to sleep."

Manuel stood up. "Fine, fine, I'll get some water. Want some?" he asked Nathaniel.

"Don't get indigestion, remember?"

Manuel flipped him off and then turned to Adelaide. "Want some, Ada?"

"No thanks. Unlike you guys, I actually pace myself when I eat."

"That's only because you eat your cooking everyday. If you got it once or twice a month, you'd feast." Nathaniel declared.

"Maybe, but at least I'm not so old that I get indigestion."

"I heard that!" shouted Manuel from the kitchen.

"Of course you did!" Nathaniel smiled and took a sip from his glass. "So when exactly are you moving?" he asked Adelaide.

"Monday morning, I'm supposed to be at the Department at 7 in the morning and then, we're going to be shown to our new home."

"You supposed to finish moving in a day?"

"No. Merlin, no," she sighed. "We get an entire week for that. So we can get settled in and the people that have kids can get their schooling stuff sorted. I don't have to worry about that sort of stuff, but I do have to find Theo a new daycare, which will hopefully go smoothly. But I'm just not sure if I'll find someone I can really trust him with. You know how Theo is, he either hates you or he loves you. And he's got a long track record of just hating people."

"Hell yeah, he does." He poured himself another glass and topped off, Adelaide's. "You know, we can take care of Theo, if you don't find a place right away. That way you don't freak out and leave him somewhere you don't feel very confident about."

"That'd be fantastic! Thanks Nate, you're the best."

"I know I am," he smirked. "That reminds me. Need any held moving? I can get Monday off, no problem."

"Thanks, but I'll be fine."

"Gwen helping?" he asked.

"Uh . . . no, she doesn't even know I've been reassigned."

"You two have a falling out or something?"

"Of course not!" she was offended by his inquiry. "I just don't want to stress her out by telling her about this. She has her mom's death to cope with. This is mine and I'll settle it, then when it's done, I'll be like, [i]surprise I live here now[/i]!"

"Do you honestly think that's a good idea?"

"No . . . not really, but I don't want to add my drama to her plate. She's dealing with her own stuff and this isn't even that massive. It's just moving countries. Nothing to drastic," she tried to make light of it.

Nathaniel rolled his eyes. "Well, since you're not gonna let me help you move then at least let me go over to put some charms on your place."

"More charms?"

"Look, I'm sure it's protected and all, but I've got a few new charms of my own invention. So just let me go put them in and that'll be that. I'll feel better about you being over there and you'll be safer."

"Alright, Nate, I guess you can do that." Adelaide looked over at the clock. "Think it's time I get going. Want to get a good night's sleep, if I'm gonna spend tomorrow packing."

"Sure you don't need any help?"

Adelaide scooped Theo into her arms. "I'll manage. Thanks for offering though."

"But if you need help –"

"I'll make sure to ask," she pecked his cheek. "Bye Nate, see you Monday!" she walked over to the kitchen. "Manny!"

"What?" he asked as he put away the mineral water.

"I'm heading out."

"So soon?" he closed the refrigerator door.

"It's nearly midnight in Vermont."

"Right, I always forget the time difference." Manuel stepped closer to her. "Well, get home safe and if you need us, just pop by and haul us over."

"Hah. I'll keep that in mind. Bye Manny," she pecked his cheek and hugged him, before walking into the living room so she could apparate.

Once inside her small home, she walked up to her bedroom and lay Theo down on the bed. He instinctively curled up on his designated pillow and waited for Adelaide to climb in beside him. She grabbed a pair of clean pajamas and took a quick shower, after which, she climbed into bed beside Theo and drifted off into a dreamless slumber. They slept for close to eleven hours, would've slept longer, but Theo had to go outside to handle his business and Adelaide had to be there so he wouldn't run into the river, again.

Afterwards, Adelaide poured his food into his doggie bowl and then served herself some cereal with fresh strawberries. They ate in a comfortable silence, the only sound being the running of the river. She'd never realized how much she enjoyed spending her Saturday's in that manner. Merlin, she was going to miss it. She just hoped that the pair would be able to adapt to life in London well. The last thing she wanted was for either of them to fall ill. She lingered in the kitchen for a little while longer, taking in the feel of it. And then, when she felt up for it, she began to pack.

Despite having the use of a wand, packing remained a tedious endeavor that Adelaide despised wholeheartedly. She hated having to move her clothes out of the closet so that they could be neatly folded and then stored into enchanted boxes. The actual moving process wasn't going to be all that bad. The boxes could easily be shrunk and placed in a gym bag that would allow for easy transport, but it was the before process that annoyed her. It was the fact that she was so particular about the way her things were folded, that she couldn't do it with magic. It had to be done by hand so that no unwanted crease would form. That was why she was hard at work, trying to pack her things on a warm Saturday. Instead of out with her muggle friend, Erica, that had sworn she'd met the perfect guy for Adelaide.

Apparently, he was some big shot in the muggle world, a lawyer that worked at the muggle Department of Justice. He'd gone into the bar a few days earlier, with some of his friends, and left an old tattered copy of The Republic by Socrates. He went back the next day, asking if she'd seen the book. Erica said yes and thinking that he was perfect for Adelaide, told him to swing by on Saturday night since she'd taken his copy home for sake keeping. Erica honestly thought that Adelaide would go for it. That she'd finally go out on a date with someone, but Adelaide didn't want to. She didn't feel the need to date him and for the first time in nearly seven years, it wasn't because she preferred the characters in novels over men. It was because she liked someone.

Well, not just liked, she [i]really[/i] liked them. She felt childish feeling that way. Liking someone was a juvenile notion, best used to describe a crush in high school or college, but there was no other way she could describe what she felt towards Remus. The fact that she'd only met him twice didn't really matter. Those two occasions had been for her to realize that he was an incredibly educated, well spoken man that had a compassionate heart. His face might have been scarred, his clothes might have been in a dreadful state, but he was beautiful in the most important place that a person can be beautiful, in his heart. She knew that by the way he carried himself and behaved towards others.

A smile crept across her lips as she remembered the afternoon they'd spent together at the funeral. They'd sat out back by the shed, eating chocolate and talking. It was so easy to talk to him. He was attentive, actually holding a conversation with her, instead of just nodding and pretending to listen. She truly enjoyed spending time with him, but despite the fact that they got along so well, she couldn't help but think there was something about him that just wasn't right. Because how can a guy as attentive, compassionate and educated as him, be single at 36? Maybe he was a divorcee or had had a tragic love affair . . . Oh Merlin. She was going to over think it, a classic Adelaide thing to do, whenever she was even the least bit interested in someone, she over thought it and then decided it wouldn't work out, before it even began.

"I'm crazy, aren't I?" she asked Theo.

From his place on the bed, the Chihuahua lifted his head and tilted it to the side.

"Right, you're right! I should ask a person that, not a puppy, but I'm just so . . . so absurd sometimes. All I do is read and smoke and then read some more and then drink and then read. And you'd think that all that reading would do me well, but no! Not one fucking bit. It's made me crazy, because I compare people to characters and then when I meet someone that's really nice, I think, [i]they're hiding something, perfect people in novels are always hiding something[/i]. It's madness, Theo, madness. Ugh. I need a break. Ten minutes and then I'll get started again. Ten minutes . . ." she climbed into bed beside Theo and rested her head on a nearby pillow. "There's so much left to pack, Theo . . . the kitchen, the den. Oh. This is such a pain in the ass. I don't even want to live in England. When I was eighteen, I did, but we're settled here and now we have to go over there." Adelaide closed her eyes. "But I guess the upside is that Gwen will be there and Remus. Oh. Why am I acting so ridiculous? I'm a romantic that doesn't do relationships. That's what I am. So why is my mind racing? It's the smoking, isn't it? I should cut back. Starting tomorrow, less smoking . . ."


	7. Chapter 7

A relieved sigh passed through Adelaide's chapped lips as she finished packing the last of her belongings. She'd been at it all day, going room by room to check that she had everything she'd need to furnish her new home in London. And although her house was small, she had enough things to fill a house twice its size. That was due to the fact that her closets were enchanted so that they would have triple the space they were initially intended to, and Adelaide, being the avid shopper she was, had filled up the closets with blankets, clothes and books. She knew that it didn't make sense for her to have as much stuff as she did, but she liked being able to have a different bedspread whenever she wanted and she wasn't about to scale back on Theo's clothes, because even he needed to have his little outfits for their special outings and dinner parties.

"What now?" she asked herself.

She could shrink the boxes and place them inside her designated travel purse, but she wasn't in the mood for that. What she needed was a relaxing break and once her feet had rested, she would utter the shrinking spells and store the boxes. It wasn't going to be hard. It'd take thirty minutes at the most, so she wasn't worried about that. What she was worried about was the fact that in six hours time, she'd have to go over to the Department to be taken to her new home in England and given her keys. She thought about falling asleep, but decided against it. There was a five hour time difference between London and Vermont, it was in her best interest to stay awake and then just pass out when night came over there. That way she wouldn't be wide awake during nighttime in London, and her body would hopefully begin the adjustment process.

That was one of the things she was most concerned about. It may sound trivial, unworthy of true concern, but Adelaide wasn't one of those people that easily adjust to different time zones. In fact, when Adelaide moved from Los Angeles to Vermont, it took her a little over a week to finally grow used to the east coast time. That was one of the worst weeks in her life. She overslept on a regular basis, barely managed to make it to work a few minutes before she was meant to, struggled to stay awake at work and once – once she'd even burned herself with hot coffee, because she'd fallen asleep holding it. She had a scar on her upper thigh to remember that incident.

As Adelaide walked around her house, she realized that her options for employment were limited. She'd packed up her books, her CDs, and the desktop computer she'd recently purchased. Her television, as well, was packed away, and even her dishes were carefully stored for travel. The only things she could truly do were lie on the couch or eat the food in the fridge. There were some leftovers from the Chinese take-out, she'd ordered, and her microwave was still working. So she decided she was going to take a seat on the couch and eat. Theo would probably wake up when he smelled the food. He was partial to Chinese food, though nothing would ever replace his love for grilled chicken and steak.

Once the food was warmed up, Adelaide grabbed the extra plastic fork that had come in the bag and started eating. The windows were open, giving her clear view of the starry sky. She was going to miss being able to see the stars from the window and hearing the river as she did her work or read. Life in the country suited her. She liked big cities, sometimes it was nice to be able to see so many people and hear them bustling around, but for the most part, the country held her heart. It was there that she'd made her home. Adelaide sat there in silence for what felt like hours. In reality it had only been forty-seven minutes, and as she stood up to throw away the empty carton, a knock came from the door.

She instinctively grabbed her wand, cautiously making her way to the door. There were only two people that could've possibly had something to do at her house, those were Manny and Nate. But she knew for a fact that those two were probably still at their friend's wedding. So who could it be? Who could've possibly been knocking on her door at a quarter to three o'clock in the morning? Gwen. It could've been Gwen, but no – no, Gwen was supposed to be in England. It was still really early over there and Gwen knew it was late, so it could've been her. It couldn't. But then the knocking became louder, and that time it wasn't just knocking, it was knocking accompanied by a voice.

"Ada, open the bloody door already!" rang Gwen's voice. "Honestly, this is no way to treat a guest, especially when all the damn lights are on."

Without taking a moment to process the state her home was in, Adelaide threw open the door and asked, "What are you doing here? It's three in the fucking morning." Her eyes widened when they spotted the bruising along the right side of Gwen's face. "FUCK! Are you alright? Did something happen? How's your dad? He, okay? Do I need a coat? I'm probably gonna need my coat. Let me go get it. Only be a –"

"Why would you need a coat?" inquired Gwen, calmly.

"Because something's wrong?" said Adelaide, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Wrong? Hmm, no, nothing's wrong, nothing at all."

"But your face . . . it's . . . it's sort of fucked up."

"Oh. You're talking about this." Gwen ran a finger along the bruising. "This is nothing. Just a bruise, is all."

"That things not a bruise, this is a bruise," Adelaide lifted up her shirt to reveal a small bruise she'd sustained from running into a doorknob. "That," she pointed at the bruise. "Is you getting hurt and not by a doorknob or a book, but by a person."

"Ada, it's nothing to fuss about." Gwen repeated. Had she remembered the bruising, she would've thrown some makeup on before going over.

Adelaide folded her arms across her chest. "Not coming in until you tell me what happened."

"Why are you being so difficult?" groaned Gwen.

"Come on, Gwen. We both know this isn't me being difficult. When I'm being difficult, even I feel like punching myself in the face."

A laugh escaped Gwen's lips. "That may be true, but you're being a right pain."

"If you just tell me what happened, I'll drop it. You don't have mention names or places. All you have to say is, [i]so I was walking and this dude punched me in the face[/i]. That's it."

"Fine," Gwen huffed. "But can I at least get in? It's not all that warm out here."

Adelaide eyed her before stepping aside to let her in.

"Thanks," mumbled Gwen as she walked in. She prepared herself for sitting on the couch and drinking hot chocolate. That was the drink of choice that Adelaide offered visitors whenever they weren't feeling well, but when her eyes landed on the piles of boxes littering the house, she went into shock and eventually, rallied enough to speak. "What are all those boxes for?" she whispered, her voice low, as if she were about to interrogate a criminal.

"Boxes?" her eyes darted around the space, widening in horror at the realization. "Uh . . ."

"Planning on going somewhere? Don't even have to ask, do I? The teli's packed up. Both know a teli only gets packed up when someone's moving homes. So where are ya going, Adelaide? It where I think you are?"

Adelaide nodded.

"Why didn't ya say anything? Hmm?" she walked around the living room, her fingers lingering atop the boxes. "Because I'm sure you've known for awhile. Had to have known for at least a week or so . . . Why keep this a secret? Were you even going to tell me?"

"I was." Adelaide said. "But I just didn't want to bother you with this. There's so much going on in your life; with your mom, your dad, the Order and all that. And I just thought that it'd be better to not put this on you. I know how you feel about me going to London with things the way they are."

"You should've asked them not to reassign you." Gwen stated. "You see this?" she traced her bruises, which in the light were infinitely larger and more painful looking. "This is what happened when I was called to assist a few Order members to defend a muggle village that was being attacked by Death Eaters. This is what happened when a fanatic Death Eater blew up a wall in hopes that I wouldn't make it out alive with a muggle infant."

Adelaide remained silent.

"England isn't safe. Not for you, not for me, not for anyone."

"I'm not stupid, Gwen. I know it's not safe. I've seen the newspaper headings. I've –"

"The media isn't as honest about the suffering and violence, as they ought to be."

"I know it's not. That's why I mentally make things worse by about ten times, in my head. That way I have a somewhat better understanding, and even then, I know it's nowhere near close to the reality. I knew you were in danger, but in my head, the danger wasn't as real as that," her voice softened. "In my head, you couldn't be harmed and now I'm seeing you with bruises. And I know it's not safe, but I don't have a choice."

"Of course, you have a choice."

"No."

"No?"

"Agnew doesn't like me. Can't stand the fucking sight of me, and that's alright cuz I fantasize about punching him in the face. And since he hates me, and wants to get rid of me, he figured that sending me off to London was a good idea. And just to make sure that I'd fuck off, he said that he'd find a way to fire me if I didn't. So I'm stuck."

"That oversized goblin!" bellowed Gwen. "How can he send anyone to England with things the way they are? Doesn't he worry about you lot? As Office head, the safety of his staff should be his priority."

"Agnew doesn't give a fuck about any of us."

"This is going too far, much too far. Oh. How are we going to get you out of this? Something will come to me. Something must come to me!"

"See, this is why I didn't want to tell you. You worry."

"It's not worrying. It's a desire to ensure safety."

Adelaide sighed. "That's still worrying, even if you try to make it sound fancy."

"Well, I can't help it. Can I?"

"Suppose not, but you've got enough on your plate as it is. I'll be alright. My brother's going to drop by the place in London and put some of his protective spells and it's already guarded 24 hours, so it'll be okay. And if anyone tries to do anything to me, I'll just start screaming that I'm an employee of the American government. That'll definitely make them think twice."

"That's not made me feel any better."

"I know, just thought it was still worth a try."

Gwen ran a hand through her hair. "Do ya know where you're living, already?"

"Not yet. Find out in the morning."

"Well, when ya do, you should tell me so I can put my own enchantments. And I'll get some books on defensive spells for you, and this time you're not getting off with not learning them. Understood?"

"Defensive spells aren't my thing though."

"If you're to live in England, they're going to become 'your thing'. Once you're settled in and working, we'll try to see where we can squeeze an hour of practice."

"An hour?" exclaimed Adelaide. "A bit excessive, don't you think?"

"You can't even conjure a Patronus charm."

Adelaide shrugged. "It's not like I've ever run into a dementor. Those things don't live in America."

"But they're used by the Ministry and now that the Ministry is in the process of falling, they'll be employed more frequently than before. And those things won't run away just by knowing you're American."

"Oh. Alright then, you can teach me."

Gwen smiled victoriously. "Have you finished packing up?"

"Nearly, all I've got to do is shrink these and put them inside my bag. Then I'll be done."

"Want to do it now?" asked Gwen.

"I guess, yeah." Adelaide rubbed her tired eyes. "So what are you doing here anyway? Just want to see this lovely face?"

"Of course, we both know I can't function without seeing that face of yours." Gwen chuckled lightly. "But uh, I was coming to ask a favor, but that favor can't be asked for anymore."

"Why not?" asked Adelaide.

"Needed you to get me some equipment from the Auror office, to get some listening devices from their supplies, but you won't work there anymore so . . . time for Plan B."

"And what's Plan B?"

"Not sure yet, still in the planning process for that future plan, but I'm sure Remus will help me come up with something. Might not talk much, but he's rather brilliant. Prefer him to Bill. Merlin," she sighed. "I've never wanted to punch anyone in the face as much as Bill Weasley. He replaced Remus for a night and by the end of it, I was seriously contemplated the killing curse. Thankfully, we went our separate ways before it came to that."

"Wait – what?"

"Hmm?" she turned to her.

"Why'd ya have to work with Bill? Why couldn't Remus be there?"

"Because it was a full moon," replied Gwen, nonchalantly.

"Full moon?" she repeated softly. "Oh shit . . . He's a werewolf! Right?" she looked to Gwen for confirmation, and when Gwen nodded, she continued speaking. "That's why he's got all those scars. Was wondering why he has so many scars, but I figured they were from playing Quidditch or something. Whoa. I've never met a werewolf before him. I mean, I read about them and their struggle for equal rights, but never actually met one in person."

"You're not going to treat him differently, are you?"

"Why would I? He's been nothing but nice to me. I'm not gonna be a bitch just because he has a . . . a furry problem."

"That sounds [i]so[/i] wrong."

"Gwyneth!" shrieked Adelaide, her cheeks flooding with color. "I didn't mean it like that. I was . . . MERLIN! I was just talking about how werewolves have fur so it'd be his furry problem, I wasn't trying to talk about his . . . well, you know."

"Hah. I know, I know, it's just funny to see ya freak out."

"Not that funny," she muttered. "But what happened with Bill? Are you gonna have to work with him again?"

"Don't know. Hope not. I mean. I'll work with him if I have to. I'm not going to be unprofessional. Though I'd rather have Tonks or someone else – anyone else." She said.

"Which one's Tonks?"

"The one with the bubblegum pink hair at the funeral," replied Gwen.

"Oh! She seemed really rad."

Gwen nodded in agreement. "She is. She's brilliant. I've got an idea. Since you're moving to London, I'll properly introduce you to her. That way you'll have more friends in the country."

"Thanks, I'd like that. She seems like a laugh."

"She truly is. Honestly, my time at Hogwarts wouldn't have been as good as it was, had she not been there. She was just always so sure of herself. There was nothing she did that she didn't believe in. And she was always just so loud and unapologetic. Come to think of it, I think I might have liked her because we were – are – so alike. Hah."

"In that case, I don't think I should meet her. Have enough trouble with just you, wouldn't know what to do with you and her." Adelaide joked.

"Oh. Hush up, you slag."

"Well that's just not true. I don't have enough sex to be a slag. Scratch that, I just don't have sex."

"What about that bloke? That muggle, you know the one with the piercings."

"Dylan," Adelaide said knowingly. "He's not recent though. I think that happened like two or three years ago. And it wasn't even serious."

"I beg to differ. You two went out for like a week."

Adelaide smiled mischievously.

"Alright, ya stayed at his flat for a week, but that still counts."

"It does, but like I said, that was years ago."

"So you're telling me that you've not had a go with anyone since then?"

"I haven't."

"Well then ya know what's, gonna happen. Your vagina's gonna close up on you. One day, when you finally want to shag, you won't be able to."

"GROSS!" exclaimed Adelaide, wrinkling her nose at the thought. "That's one mental image that's never going to leave. Ugh. So nasty," she shuddered. "Hey, you're supposed to be helping me shrink my crap, not sitting on the couch and traumatizing me."

Gwen smirked. "I can help you shrink and traumatize you from the comfort of this couch, look."

She wasn't exaggerating. From her seat, she easily shrunk all of the boxes in the living room and a few that were lingering in a nearby hallway. Adelaide reacted in a childish, yet incredibly suiting manner, she flipped Gwen off and told her to get her ass off the couch so that they could finish packing everything up. It wasn't long before all the boxes were packed up. The only things left out were a change of clothes that Adelaide had lain out on her couch upstairs and the bedspread in her room. Other than that, everything was gone.

It felt strange to have the house so empty, to have her belongings stuffed inside a black purse. For days, she'd been growing used to the idea that she was going to leave home, to start anew somewhere else. But it hadn't actually sunk in until that moment. The move to London was no longer something that would happen in a week, in a few days. It would be only be a matter of hours before London became her place of residence.


	8. Chapter 8

The apartment proved to be a lot more spacious than Adelaide had anticipated. It was about the size of her home, the only true difference between the pair was the fact that in the apartment, the kitchen was rather snug. As opposed to the large, open kitchen that her home boasted. The lack of space in the kitchen made her question whether or not she could comfortably live there, but she reminded herself that the apartment was only temporary. As soon as the war ended, she'd be able to go back to her home in Vermont and to her granite countertop sanctuary, but for now the apartment in Westminster would be her home. And as she explored the space, she decided that everything except for the kitchen was very much up to her standards. There were two bedrooms, both of which were spacious and boasted crown molding, as well as stunning windows that let in lots of light. In the master bedroom, there was even a small balcony. There was enough space for a small chair and a little table. Adelaide decided that would be her reading space and that she'd put a small bed there so that Theodore could sunbathe.

After having fully inspected the apartment, Adelaide decided it was time to give it a proper cleaning. They'd been told that the flats had been scrubbed clean by house elves employed by the Department, but Adelaide wanted to make sure that the space was spotless. And so, she began the process of taking out the cleaning detergents and muttering incantation, after incantation, until the apartment smelled like a fresh forest and the floors gleamed from cleanliness. She smiled triumphantly, before turning her attention to her purse. One by one, she took out the shrunken boxes that had made their home in her leather bag, and when they were all out, resting on the living room floor, she enlarged them to their regular size.

The only things left in her bag were her bed and the other furniture that she'd taken along with her. She carried those to the spaces where they'd go and enlarged them. Then, with a sweaty brow, she pushed them around, trying to find where they best looked. Getting the furniture just right, ended up taking nearly an hour, but when she finished, she felt better about it. The apartment no longer looked so empty. Life was starting to filter in. And by the time the sun was beginning to set over London, she'd practically finished fixing up the place. There were still a few boxes that needed sorting, but the things in them were old family albums, and some framed photos and paintings that she'd eventually hang up.

For now, she was finished. The apartment had been rendered a truly inhabitable home, and all it needed was for Theodore to start running around the hardwood flooring, to make it truly perfect. A tired slept crept onto her face as she thought of Theodore. He was over at her brother's home. He and Manny had volunteered to watch over Theodore while she unpacked. That way she wouldn't have an overly energetic Chihuahua to watch after. Knowing Theodore, he would've made a mess of the boxes and run in between her feet to get her to play with him, but now that she was done unpacking, she could afford to chase after him.

And so, she apparated to Los Angeles, where Theodore was being chased around the front yard by a very sweaty looking Manny. Laughter erupted from her lips as soon as she saw them. Manny looked filthy, there were dirt stains on his face and elbows, and Adelaide was sure that Theodore was in the same condition. The only reason he looked clean was because of his jet black fur.

"Theo!" she exclaimed excitedly as she stepped into the yard. "What are you doing to your uncle Manny?"

An excited bark was Theodore's response as he took off running in her direction.

"How's my baby? Did your uncle take good care of you?" she scooped him into her arms and pressed her cheek against his face.

Adelaide couldn't help how she was with Theodore. He was her constant companion, the one that saw her at her best, worst, and strangest. The little Chihuahua was so much more than a pet for her, he was a son. And so as she held him in her arms, she fussed over him much like any mother would fuss over their child. As she fussed over him, Theodore stared at her with eyes full of loving admiration. He nestled into her hair, knowing not to lick her in the face since she'd scolded him about doing that on numerous instances.

"Well hello to you to, Ada!" bellowed Manuel as he stood up. "How am I? Egh, I'm pretty good."

"Good to hear," laughed Adelaide as she lowered Theodore onto the ground. "Come on, don't be cross with me, you know I love you, Manny!" she ran over to him and took him in a strong embrace, his figure towering over hers. "Thanks for watching him today."

"You know, it's no problem. We love having Theo around."

"And he loves being here. Your garden's way bigger and nicer than the one back in Vermont."

"That's because there's good weather here. How you two live in Vermont, is beyond me. I could never live on the East coast, never." He shuddered at the thought. "Ah. Since we're on the subject of horrible weather . . . how was London?"

"Very funny Manny," she grumbled. "It was fine, cloudy, but fine."

"And the apartment?" he asked.

"It was actually really nice. It's very regency period. You know? And the inside was just stunning. Felt like I was in a period film or something."

"Sounds perfect for you," Manny took a seat on the steps leading up to the front porch and motioned for Adelaide to sit beside him. "I bet you're going to get an Austen-esque dress so you can wander around your apartment."

"I'm not that crazy. I'll probably just do that on special occasions, like my birthday . . . and I'll make you guys dress up in tights. So it's legit."

"Hah! Just because we're gay that doesn't mean we're going to dress up in times. Fuck that. The only time we wear anything like that is during Pride week. And after that, it's trousers and jeans."

"Ugh. You two are so boring." Adelaide complained.

Manny shook his head and let out a laugh. "That reminds me, Nate asked me to tell you to go over to his office when you got here."

"Did he say why?"

"Yeah, he said that that way he'd be able to go on his break and put the enchantments on your place."

"Oh. Right, right . . . I'd forgotten about that. Do you think I should interrupt him, though? I mean, he's at work. So what if he gets in trouble for leaving?"

"Nate won't get in trouble. He's the golden boy."

"Hmm, okay then. I guess I'll head over. Theo!" she called for him. "Come say bye to your uncle, so we can go with Nate."

The small Chihuahua was intelligent enough to run over to Manuel. He placed his paws on the burly man's knees and after a moment of mutual affection, he took off in Adelaide's direction. She scooped him into his arms and after thanking Manuel, apparated to the Los Angeles County Auror Office. It wasn't until she stepped into the building that she realized how underdressed she was. Everyone was in suits and uniforms, and she was wearing a pair of jeans and a faded Miles Davis t-shirt that had seen better days.

"How may I help you?" asked the receptionist, a young witch with bleach blonde hair.

"I'm here to see Captain Nathaniel Thirlby. I don't have a formal appointment, but he told me to come as soon as I could."

The young woman pursed her lips as her eyes scanned over Adelaide's appearance. "Right, well, I'll call Captain Thirlby and if he's in, you can go up." She picked up the phone and dialed his number. "Hello? Am I speaking to Captain Thirlby? Oh. Hello Captain Thirlby, this is Megan, the front receptionist and I have someone here to see you. Her name?" she said. "Could you please hold on a moment? Thank you." Whitney placed her hand over the receiver. "Name?" she asked. "What's your name? Her name is Adelaide. Yes, yes of course. I'll send her right up." She set the phone down. "Captain Thirlby will see you. He's on the seventh floor. But I'm afraid that no pets are allowed in the building."

Adelaide's smile momentarily faltered. "Do you think it'd be alright if you make an exception this one time? I'm just gonna run up and then we're going to leave. And I promise that Theodore won't touch the ground, he'll be in my arms at all times, promise."

"Ah. Fine, but if you get caught, it's on you and don't even mention me. Okay?"

Adelaide nodded in understanding. "Thanks."

The elevator was soon found and she rode it all the way up to the seventh floor. When the doors opened, she turned to the right, walking down the long, brightly lit hallways until reaching the end where her brother's office was. He'd only recently gotten an office of his own. It was a promotion that was a long time coming, but that the Office had hesitated in awarding him, due to his personal life. The Angelino community, although rather liberal, still had pockets of conservatives that wouldn't approve of a gay man being an Auror Captain, but after Nathaniel protected a group of young muggle children that were being attacked by a heavily perturbed wizard, the public became enamored with the handsome young Auror and the Office felt comfortable enough to award him, his much deserved promotion.

A proud look washed across her face when she read her brother's name on the door. Captain Thirlby. She stared at the engraving for a moment, contemplating how her parent's would've reacted had they been alive to see him so accomplished. The thought was shaken from her mind and she lifted her right hand to knock on the door.

"Nate," she called to him.

"Just a moment!" he bellowed from within his office.

He grabbed his coat off the back of the chair, careful not to tip it over as he was prone to doing. He checked to make sure that he had his wand and wallet, and after ascertaining that he did, walked to the door.

"About time you showed up." He told Adelaide, a big grin etched across his face.

"Well, I would've been here sooner, but you know, I was moving homes and all."

Nathaniel chuckled. "So how's the place?" he asked as they walked down the hall.

"It's actually really nice. It's bigger than I thought it was gonna be."

"How big?" he looked over at her.

"About the size of my old house, which isn't really that big, but for an apartment it is. And it's very British. It has this amazing crown molding and the rooms just scream Jane Austen to me, so you know its love."

"Does that mean you're never gonna come back?"

"I said its love, not true love." Adelaide joked. "But it's nice. And the area is just amazing. That entire neighborhood is nothing but foreign diplomats and there are Aurors patrolling the streets at all times and the American buildings are the ones that have Aurors inside at all times."

"That's comforting."

"It is." Adelaide agreed. "The only problem's that there isn't a yard, which means I'm gonna have to scoop up Theo's poop. Not looking forward to that, at all."

"Why don't you just teach him how to use a litter box?"

"Because that's for cats and I'm not going to have his shit in the house. No offense, Theo. Love you, just don't want to smell your poop."

"You're gonna have fun taking him outside when it's snowing." Nathaniel pressed the button for the elevator. "All that snow, and you just [i]love[/i] snow."

"Hey, I'm used to the snow. I live in Vermont."

"Used to it, but you're not a fan of it. Ah. Here's the elevator," they walked in. "I'm sure it'll be alright though. But just . . . just try not to wander off from where your place is at."

That was a ridiculous thing for him to say. She couldn't be confined to just her work and home. She had to go out to have fun, to take Theo on long walks and to just live. But she wouldn't tell her brother that. He didn't need to worry anymore than he already was. And so she smiled, nodded in agreement and changed the subject to music. That was the subject they were on for most of their walk, and when they left the Office, Adelaide took hold of his hand to apparate them both to her new place in London. Nathaniel held on tight. He wasn't partial to side along apparating. It was more uncomfortable than apparating normally, and when they touched soil, his stomach did an unsettling lurch.

"This is it." Adelaide declared. "Isn't it amazing?"

"Now I know why the diplomat office has such a massive budget." Nathaniel commented as he marveled at the grandeur of the building. "This looks like somewhere royalty lives."

"Not royalty, nobility." Adelaide took his hand. "Come on. Let me show you my place. It's on the second floor. Not to high up, because it's, well, one of the apartments for diplomats without family, but I love it. It means there won't be any noise from kids running around. I swear I'd go crazy if I had to listen to Wilson's newborn crying."

"They made a dude with a newborn, move? That fucking sucks. The poor guy has to deal with a baby AND moving. Oh. I'm glad I'm not a diplomat. Your Office doesn't seem to give a fuck."

"It's not the Office. It's Agnew. He's always just running his mouth and making decisions that he doesn't even think through."

"But that's why he's got his last name. So he can do whatever he wants and have the family reputation to fall back on. Hate people like that. You'd think that because he comes from such a distinguished family, he'd try to work hard and make a name for himself, but no, he doesn't give a fuck."

"Not a single one," she murmured. "Hello, uh, Dennis . . . right?"

The young man sitting behind an exquisite desk nodded in agreement. "Miss Thirlby," he greeted her, having already memorized the names and faces of the new inhabitants. "Are you finding the building to be to your liking?"

"Yes, it's fantastic. Thank you. Do I have to get out my identification or something?" she inquired.

"No, that's not necessary. We're just here to guard and help if need be. Have a nice night."

"You to," she smiled at the middle aged man. "The stairs are up this way."

There were also two elevators, but since her apartment was only on the second floor, she didn't really see any use in employing it. The pair walked up the flight of stairs in an easy silence. Adelaide looked down at the wooden floorboards, keeping a close eye on them since she had a bit of an issue with stairs. When she was younger – around seven – she fell down the stairs at their childhood home, and ever since then, she had to look down at the stairs as she walked, or else she felt panic. Soon enough, they made it to the second floor. There were only one apartment on that floor, hers.

"This is home," she opened the door and stood to the side, letting Nathaniel walk in first. "I still have to put up some pictures, but for the most part its set up."

His eyes took in the space, darting from one area to the next. "You did all this?"

"Mhm," she set Theodore on the ground. "It should've taken longer, but that course in house spells really paid off."

"For real, this place looks amazing. Fuck. I can't get sidetracked. I have to put the enchantments on and then get back to the Office."

"You don't want something to drink first? I have . . . uh . . . tap water."

"No thanks. I'm fine."

Adelaide set down her purse. "So what enchantments are you putting on?"

"Some that'll ward off certain dark magic and another that'll ward off dark creatures."

"D-dark creatures?" she stuttered. "What exactly are those?"

"Oh. You know, vampires, banshees, gryndylows . . . you know, those sorts of things"

"Vampires?" she asked. "Aren't they sort of people because they were people, before?"

"They were, but they're not counted as such. They have to drink human blood to live so, that's pretty dark."

"So if vampires are dark, would werewolves be warded off by that enchantment as well?"

He took out his wand. "Werewolves aren't dark. They're just people with a disease."

Adelaide nodded in understanding.

"Why do ya ask?" he glanced over to her.

"No reason. Was just curious, is all."

Nathaniel said nothing further and set to work on placing his enchantments. It didn't take long, not more than nine or so minutes, and when he finished, he was left feeling that her home would be a well protected fortress for her. He wished he could've stayed longer, to have had a proper tour of the apartment, but he had to get back to work. Before he left, he promised that Manny and him would swing by the next day. And they did, they showed up at a half past eight, to have lunch with her. This time, she didn't cook. They ordered take out from her favorite Japanese restaurant. They spent the night laughing and eating, only leaving until it was well after two in the morning. They would've stayed longer, but since Adelaide's eyes were threatening to close on her, they thought it better to leave.

Adelaide spent the following day at home, putting up the artworks and photographs, as well as painting the bathroom since she wasn't fond of the wallpaper the previous owner had placed. That was the way she spent her Tuesday. On Wednesday, she decided it was time to leave the apartment and explore the city. The first thing she did was to get a copy of the massive London directory. She spent about an hour going through it, jotting down possible puppy daycares for Theodore. And when her list reached ten, she decided it was time to pay them a visit. A part of her wanted to call in advance, to let the people know that she was interested in their services, but she figured that a surprise visit would be best, that way she could see how their operations ran on a day to day basis, as opposed to how they fixed it up to be viewed by visitors.

In order to get to the daycares, she had to take a string of cabs. She wished she could've just apparated there, but they were all muggle operated business in muggle districts. So apparating was out of the question. Thankfully for her, the cab drivers were friendly and even accepted her dollars, when she ran out of pounds to pay with. Her experience with the cabs and their drivers were nice, but the same could not be said of her experience at the daycares. The spaces were cramp. The workers seemed to be there out of need as opposed to out of love for dogs. And although the prices were infinitely lower than what she'd paid in America, she couldn't bring herself to leave Theo alone with them. She'd just have to keep looking. Perhaps look for daycares outside the city, in the suburbs or the country.

"Well that was a waste of time." Adelaide said, as she left the final daycare. "What should we do now, Theo?" she asked him, her gaze dropping to the Chihuahua in her arms. "Want to go home? Or should we go over to Diagon Alley?"

She thought it over for a moment, wondering if it'd be dangerous. In the back of her mind, she could hear her brother telling her off for even considering going there; she could also hear Gwen telling her that that was one of the stupidest things she could do. But Adelaide was tired of being cooped up at home all day. And so she decided that she'd head over to Diagon Alley. She'd read about Diagon Alley in the visitors guide that the Department supplied to them. The exact address was given to them, although it was advised to use the address for the muggle bookshop that was next door, in order to avoid seeming odd, to a muggle driver.

Adelaide had jotted down both addresses and after jumping into the backseat of a black cab, gave the ones for the muggle bookshop, to the driver. She sat there in an easy silence, staring out the window. There was so much to see in London, so much to. She remembered how much she'd wanted to live there when she was younger. She'd made massive lists of all the things she wanted to do there, and as she sat in the cab, she promised that she would find those lists and do every single thing that was on them.

"Here you are, Miss." The driver spoke when he pulled up to the bookshop.

"Thank you." Adelaide looked down at the fare meter and dug out her money. "Is it alright if I give it to you in dollars?"

"Aye, but pounds are worth a bit less than the dollar. Want me to calculate it or ya?"

"No, need," she reassured and handed him out the money. "Keep the change."

"Thank ya, Miss. Have a lovely day."

She threw him a smile before opening the door and stepping outside. She looked up at the bookstore. It looked exactly as it had on the paper and then, looked over to its right, where the Leaky Cauldron was waiting for her. The Leaky Cauldron wasn't a spectacular building. It was old, the door looked as if it hadn't been replaced since the building had been erected, but it was quite tidy. Well, as tidy as it could be, given its age. She lingered in front of the bookshop for a moment, waiting for the crowd to dwindle down, and when the coast was clear, she stepped into the Leaky Cauldron.

Her amazement was instantaneous. Just outside the doors there were muggles going about their day to day lives, and inside there were witches and wizards using magic to stir their drinks and levitate their luggage. She moved through the entrance with a nervous smile on her face, holding Theodore close to her body as if someone were trying to steal him.

"Hello," she spoke to the bartender, a man that was quite bold.

"Afternoon Miss," he greeted her, his words were hard to understand, not because of his accent, but because he was quite toothless. "Welcome to the Leaky Cauldron? What might I get ya?"

"Oh. Uh, nothing for me, I'm actually trying to get to Diagon Alley, but the guide I had said to come through here." She paused for a moment before asking, "Would you perhaps be, so kind as to show me the entrance? Is there a door, I should take?"

"No door, Miss. There's a wall though."

"A wall?" asked Adelaide, her confusion apparent in her voice.

"Aye, a wall," he chuckled. "Hold on just a moment and I'll pop round to show ya. Oi! Roger, take over for a moment. Will ya?"

The young man named Roger slowly made his way towards the front. He looked no older than twenty and had a look to him that made it perfectly clear that he hated his job.

"This way, dear," said Tom to Adelaide. "It's not that confusing, once you've been shown how to do it. But you've got to get the right brick or else you'll be standing there all day. Right through here, Miss," he held the door open for her. "I take it you're American then?"

"Yes, I am."

"What in the world's brought ya to London, then? It's not – it's not as agreeable as it used to be," he said in a lower voice. "With what's happened in the Ministry and all."

"I'm actually here for work." Adelaide told him, following him out into the walled courtyard. "I'm a foreign diplomat on orders from the American Department of Magic."

"Is that so?" he nodded his head in approval. "Things will be alright for you, then. No trouble at all. Ah. Here we are. Now I want ya to pay very close attention dear, in order to get into Diagon Alley, you've got to tap on one brick. Pay close attention; see where I'm pointing to? Okay. Very well, now I want you to knock, once will suffice, but ya can knock more if ya like."

"Okay, here it goes," she knocked on the brick and pulled her arm back when she heard a soft rumble.

There, before her eyes, the wall transformed into a large, stone archway that acted as the entrance to Diagon Alley. She stared at it in silence, stunned by the bleakness of what lay before her. In her mind, Diagon Alley was supposed to be a vibrant place where wizards and witches of all ages would be bustling down the streets, but that wasn't what lay before her. No. The streets were nearly deserted. There were only a few shoppers, but they weren't couples or single people just walking about, they were in huddled groups, scurrying along as if being in numbers would keep them safe.

"Shouldn't there be more people?" she asked softly, her eyes intently focused on the scene before her.

"Not with things the way they are, Miss." Tom said. "Streets aren't as safe as they used to be. That's why you've got to keep an eye out."

"I'll make sure to." Adelaide reassured. "Thank you for showing me how to go into Diagon Alley. Is it the same way to come back?"

He shook his head. "There's an entrance for the shop over on that side. We just have this entrance, so the inside's not continuously crowded with people trying to go through."

"Makes sense," she mumbled. "Well, thanks again. I'll be on my way now."

Adelaide stepped out from underneath the archway, and when she stepped out, the archway disappeared, and retook its appearance as nothing more than a brick wall. She took in a deep breath and with her right hand, made sure that her wand was tucked into its holster in her pant pocket. When he felt it, she let out a sigh of relief and started walking down the street, still carrying Theodore in her arms. She'd expected so much from Diagon Alley. She's expected shops brimming with people, laughter and noise. But for the most part, there wasn't any of that. There were a few shops that were boarded up, others that didn't have a single costumer. The only shop that had a good amount of customers was one with bright blue exterior and a mechanical head of a ginger.

The inviting exterior coupled with the gleeful noises coming from the shop, forced Adelaide to walk towards it. She was mesmerized by how vibrant that one shop was. Everything around it was dreary, better suited for a black and white film, but that shop had so much life and energy that it was impossible to not gravitate towards it. Her eyes went wide in awe, when she stepped into the shop. The interior was even more impressive and captivating than the exterior. She walked along the aisles, studying the items with curious eyes.

"Hello love. What can I do for you, today?" spoke a voice from beside her.

She tore her gaze from the Skiving Snackbox. "No, no thank you." she told the strangely familiar looking ginger. "I'm just looking around."

His ears perked up at the sound of her voice. "From across the pond then, are ya?"

"Do I get some sort of discount if I am?"

"Well, we've never had an American through here. I'm sure we could give you some sort of prize. Hmm . . . how do ya feel about a Pygmy Puff?"

"What's that?"

"That would be," he walked away and returned with a furry pink mess of hairs. "This."

"I think I'll pass. Isn't that right, Theo?"

Theodore barked in response.

"No wonder ya don't want it. You've got your own little fur ball right there. Oi! Fred! Come see this. Can I pet him?"

"Yeah, just be gentle."

"Hello mate. I'm gonna touch you now, and you're not gonna bite me. Sound good?" he stretched out his hand and gently caressed Theo's head. "He's so soft. Fred! Hurry up!"

"See what I tell you, Remus? He's always in a bloody hurry." Fred emerged into the aisle.

"Bugger off. I'm never in a hurry. It's just that you're always so damn lazy on account of how grotesque you are." George argued.

"Oi!" bellowed Fred. "Just you wait, you freckled, faced fu – there's a dog in here? Hello dog!"

"A dog?" asked Remus as he followed Fred into the aisle. "Where's there a . . . Miss Adelaide. Hello."

"Mr. Lupin," her face lit up at the sight of me. "How are you?"

"I'm quite well, thank you." he replied, a smile beginning to tug at the corner's of his mouth. "And you, Miss Adelaide?"

"I'm a bit tired, but that's because I've been walking around all day."

"In London?" he asked.

Adelaide nodded. "I was out looking for a daycare for Theodore. You haven't met Theodore. Ah well, this is my puppy, Theo. Theo say hello to Mr. Lupin."

"He's lovely." Remus patted the top of Theo's head. "But what do you mean, looking for a daycare? I thought you lived in America."

"I did, but I . . . uh, got transferred recently. So I'm working at the American Embassy here."

"Are you really?"

"Hah. Everyone seems to be reacting like that. But I am. It's strange though. Diagon Alley, I mean. I imagined it would be a lot more exciting, but it's not."

"Not at all," he agreed. "But that's expected, you know, with the situation the way it is."

"That's what I've been told. The gentleman at the Leaky Cauldron told me that people weren't out much and to be careful."

"Was it Tom?" asked Remus.

"I didn't catch his name, but he was balding and . . . well, he didn't have teeth."

"That's Tom, then," chuckled Remus. "He's a nice bloke, very honest."

"He was really nice and helpful."

By that point in the conversation, the twins had retreated and were hidden behind a nearby aisle from which they spied on them. The pair was curious to know how Remus knew the American. They were even more curious to figure out why he looked so . . . so . . . captivated.

"Have you been in London, long?"

"No, I actually just moved here on Sunday. I'm still in the process of settling in and trying to find shops."

"A bookstore, perhaps?" he asked, remembering their previous conversation regarding Tolstoy.

Adelaide smiled. "Do you know of a good one?"

"I do. There's one actually not far from here. I could show you, if you like."

"That'd be great. But are you sure you won't mind? I'd hate to impose on you."

"It's fine, really." Remus reassured. "I was actually going to stop by to pick up book, I'd ordered. Another Russian novel," he smiled.


	9. Chapter 9

"May not seem like it, but a few months back, these streets were bustling with witches and wizards, and all the shops were open," commented Remus as they made their way through Diagon Alley. "It's astounding what a difference a few months and a madman can make."

"It is." Adelaide agreed. "I remember when Gwen used to tell me about Diagon Alley, it sounded like such an amazing place, way better than the shopping districts we have in America, but I guess her Diagon Alley vanished the night the Ministry took that beating."

He nodded. "A lot of things vanished that night. In time, I hope a few of them may be restored."

"I'm sure they will." Adelaide shot him a reassuring smile. "With you and Gwen on the case, it'll only be a matter of time," she added, softly. "So what novel did you order?" she asked, thinking it better not to discuss that private subject in the middle of the street.

"The Brothers Karamazov," he replied.

"Dostoyevsky, ah, I haven't read him since college." She thought back to the fourteen page paper she'd written about The Grand Inquisitor, when she took a muggle course. "He's brilliant, but I remember hating him for about a week after I wrote a paper on one of his works. Though, to be fair that happens with every writer and philosopher and theorist, I read back then. I was a horrible college student. I waited to the last minute and then got pissed off at dead writers."

"You were a procrastinator, then."

"The absolute worst," she chuckled. "I'd either do my work the night before or just a few hours before I had to turn it in. It was such a pain. How about you? Were you a procrastinator?"

"Me? Oh no, heavens no, I was very studious. Always had my work finished days before it was due and I always fretted over it, made sure that it was the best it could be, that's probably why I was a prefect," he replied.

"A prefect?" she asked.

"Ah right, you didn't go to Hogwarts. A prefect is basically just a student leader that tries to keep their housemates in line. They take away points from people in their houses, and give detention to any students."

"Sounds like a lot of responsibility."

"It was, but I enjoyed the work."

"You must've been an odd teenager then." Adelaide joked. "I always had to force myself to do anything and even when a paper was due the next day, it was a challenge. It was like that in college to, but eventually I took the right class and writing papers became more enjoyable."

"And do you employ that enjoyment for your career?"

"I do. Honestly don't know what I would've done without that class. On second thought, I do. I would've quit politics in a rage, and opened up a restaurant somewhere, in a small town on the outskirts of a big city."

"Do you not like big cities?"

"Ah. I do, sometimes, but I think I'm better suited for the country. Someplace where there's lots of fresh air and there aren't sirens wailing at all hours of the day. And lots of space for Theo to run around," she added. "Well for me to run around in to. Though I don't do much running, more like strolling," she smiled.

She was smiling too much. Her lips were going to get stuck if she didn't stop it soon, but it couldn't be helped. She wanted to smile, felt the need to smile. She had no choice in whether or not she felt giddy, because at that moment, all she felt was giddy. Talking to him was so easy, so smooth. It was as if she'd known him for years, instead of a few short weeks. And she'd only seen him a handful of times, but walking in Diagon Alley felt easy. The conversation seemed to just flow between them.

"The country does have its charms."

"Are you from a country or a big city?"

"Was originally from London, though, when I was four, my family relocated to Tinworth and I've lived there ever since."

"What county is that in?" she asked.

"Cornwall." Remus answered.

"You grew up in Cornwall? That's not fair!" she exclaimed, playfully. "You got to grow up on picturesque landscape and all I got was the Los Angeles smog."

"Well Cornwall isn't all . . . no, cant' say that. It is brilliant. The landscape and ocean are spectacular."

"Keep talking like that and you're gonna get stuck living in an apartment in London, while Theo and I take over your house."

Remus fought back a laugh. "Is that so?"

"It is." Adelaide declared. "And we Americans are very skilled in taking over places that don't belong to us. So if I were you, I'd stop gloating."

"Ah, but you forget that England is just as skilled as doing that."

"It seems we've reached an impasse."

"Was bound to happen, we were agreeing too much." Remus' eyes flickered to Flourish and Blotts storefront. "The bookshop's right up there. Usually feels like it takes longer to get there, but I guess with the right company it's an easy distance."

"Compliments will get you nowhere. I'm still plotting my takeover of Tinworth."

Remus burst into laughter, his lips hitching upwards into a wide smile, making his deep laugh lines visible to all. He hadn't laughed that hard in months. Not since Sirius was alive and he'd cracked jokes at Remus whenever he'd visit Grimmauld Place. He missed his friend, missed being able to truly be himself with someone and just unwind, but strange as it was to him, he found something comforting in Adelaide's presence. She was lively, thoughtful and well read. Had Sirius been alive he would've urged him to ask her out for a drink. That was what Sirius always did whenever he saw a woman being friendly to Remus, but regardless of how much Sirius urged him, he never went out on dates. Friendships were dangerous enough for him to have. Relationships were unheard of.

"Thought you said we'd reached an impasse."

"I did, but that doesn't mean I can't plot." She said very matter-of-factly. "But anyway, where's the bookshop?"

"Over there, to your right."

Adelaide turned to look, and sure enough there was the bookshop. The front window held a Quidditch display. There were brooms hovering behind the glass, as well as images of famous Quidditch players and a collection of new books devoted entirely to the sport. Without even realizing it, she stepped towards the window display, stopping only when she was mere inches from the glass. It was extraordinary how magical still had such a powerful effect on her. Whenever she saw displays, she felt like a child, like she did the first time her father took her to the Wizarding District in Los Angeles.

"Are you fond of Quidditch?" inquired Remus from beside her.

"I am," she replied, her eyes never leaving the floating brooms. "I used to be a Chaser, but that was way back in the day. How about you? Do you like it?"

"Yes. But I never played. Wasn't fit enough for the sport, though one of my mates played, he was brilliant." His eyes twinkled as he thought back to his old Hogwarts days. "Should we go in?"

"Yeah, we should. I forgot to ask. Will they let Theo in?" she looked down at the Chihuahua in her arms.

Remus nodded. "I don't see why not. As long as you keep holding him, it should be fine."

The pair made their way into the bookshop, which was as sparsely populated as the streets had been. There were hardy any adults reading the back covers of the latest arrivals, there were no children tugging at their parents cloaks in hopes of getting out of the boring bookshop sooner. The emptiness was one that Remus both welcomed and regretted. The lack of patrons meant that the odds of running into a person that knew of his condition were slimmer. He'd be able to avoid being glared at by a large crowd, but he regretted that his beloved bookshop was falling on hard times. And he hoped that the financial losses it was experiencing would not be enough to sink the business.

They spent close to an hour strolling through the bookshop. Remus gave Adelaide the grand tour, showing her where the different collections were held. As well as informing her of how to place an order for a muggle book if she didn't feel like searching for it at a muggle bookshop. She thought it was strange for him to go through the trouble of special ordering a muggle book, when he could just pick it up at one of their stores, but she brushed it off, deciding that he probably didn't have much experience interacting with muggles.

When they finally left the shop, the sun was beginning to retreat and Remus became aware of just how much time he'd spent with her. He should've been home, preparing for the long night of patrolling that lay ahead of him, but instead he'd been walking around Diagon Alley with her. And although he knew he'd regret it when his stomach began to rumble and his feet began to ache, he could not bring himself to regret at the present. He'd genuinely enjoyed her company. It was refreshing to spend time with someone that wasn't a part of the Order and the fact that she smiled at him, despite his scars and shabby robes, only served to sweeten the time.

"Hadn't realized how late it was." Remus commented. "The sun's beginning its retreat."

"And you have to run off with Gwen." Adelaide said knowingly.

He shot her a confused look.

"Ah. Don't look so surprised. I'm Gwen's best friend. And I've pestered her about hanging out at night, so she told me she couldn't, because she has some business to take care of with you. Didn't say was it was, so don't worry. I'm pretty much in the dark about whatever's going on and I'm not a liability. She just told me that you two work together at night so that I'd stop bugging her about dinner and drinks. I'm sure you told your friends the same thing. Wait. On second thought no, they're in that business so they'd know not to bug."

"One of the few benefits of having friends in the business," stated Remus, not wanting to admit that his friends, the ones he would've truly cared to have been with, were all dead. "Are you done with Diagon Alley?"

"Yeah, think I am." Adelaide replied. "Don't think it'd be very smart for me to be here out after dark. I'll just head over to the Leaky Cauldron and then be on my way."

"Do you remember how to get there? I could walk you if you like. Wouldn't be any trouble," he quickly added.

"I'd like that, but I don't want you running late with Gwen. Timeliness is real important to her, so you should get going. But thanks for offering and thanks for the tour. It was . . . it was fantastic. I had a great time."

"Right, you're right, Gwen is very timely." Remus muttered.

Adelaide nodded in agreement. "You'll be careful, right? When you're out there, I mean."

"Oh. Yes, yes, I will."

"Good, because you, getting hurt would really put a damper on my conquering Tinworth," she teased. "Calm down Theo. Don't you dare growl at me. Ah. It seems I really have to leave now, bye Remus!"

And with that she turned to walk away, leaving Remus there to watch as her figure faded from view.


	10. Chapter 10

Adelaide put off setting up her new office at the embassy, as long as she possibly could. She kept making excuses for herself, claiming that she had to find a daycare for Theodore and then, when she found the daycare, she claimed that she hadn't seen enough of London to be familiarized with her new home. It wasn't until Friday morning that she ran out of excuses and found herself forced to grab her boxes that had been patiently waiting to go to their new home. She stared at the boxes in contempt, wishing that she could take another day off, but the diplomats started working on Monday, and she had to be settled in by then. So she slipped on business appropriate clothes and traveled to the embassy.

The embassy was located in Whitehall, central London, but unlike the Ministry of Magic, its offices were on street level as opposed to below ground. The building held the same architectural style as those that surrounded it, and to magical eyes, the golden plaque on the door stated that it was the American Embassy of Magic, and that its hours were from eight to four, Monday through Friday. To muggle eyes, the plaque stated that it was private property and anyone that trespassed would be apprehended by the police. That's not to say that many muggles approached the building, most of them simply walked by it, thinking it another government building that they weren't allowed to enter.

Since it was the first time Adelaide visited the offices, she thought it best to travel there via muggle means instead of apparating. Once she familiarized herself with the area, she'd find a spot to apparate discreetly in. She hoped that there was a reserved area for apparating there, perhaps an area in an alleyway where muggles couldn't enter. Though ideally, she would've preferred a location within the office itself. That way she could avoid a dark alley or the rain that was so common in London. When the cab finally arrived at the dressed, she paid the driver her fare and then stepped out, making her way up the concrete steps that lead to the building.

A laugh left her lips as she took in the appearance of the building. Even in another country, the American government had to have a better building than the main offices of that countries government. She hadn't been inside the British Ministry, but if it was below ground, it couldn't have been all that much to look at. The view would've been horrid and there wouldn't have been a cool breeze blowing in from an open window. And she was, in this instance, glad that the government had gone through the trouble of procuring a building with such character. No wonder the elites of American diplomacy had always fought to be assigned to Britain. They didn't think of it as going to work in an office. It was a palace that they ruled, a palace in which they met with other Americans living in the country and held banquets.

It wasn't actual work, at least not in her opinion. Adelaide was used to going to meetings with foreign diplomats, to working out treaties and seeing that those treaties were being honored by both sides. She was used to being in the thick of it and now, having a set workday that solely revolved upon tending to inquiries about visas and other [i]normal[/i] things, unnerved her. It didn't seem right for them to have such regular tasks to do when the country was at war, and what felt even worse was that the diplomats before them had been cowards that fled because their comfort was being questioned. The three diplomats that left had been there for over seventeen years. She thought they owed it to their country and to Britain, to stay, but they didn't think so, and now Adelaide was walking up the steps to take over the tasks that they'd been so quick to abandon.

When Adelaide reached the entryway to the offices, she extended her hand to open the door, but before she could, the door was open from the inside, and she was welcomed in by a statuesque man in an Auror uniform. She uttered words of thanks and walked inside, grateful that the embassy had Aurors on hand.

"Morning Miss, I'm afraid that our diplomats aren't currently available. If you'd like you could return Monday morning, when they're all present." The Auror spoke.

"OH. I'm not here to see a diplomat. I am a diplomat." Adelaide chuckled. "My name's Adelaide Sinclaire Thirlby. I believe I'm the only diplomat that's yet to set up their office."

"Mind if I see some identification?" he asked, following protocol.

"Yeah, just let me . . . Can I set this down? Have to reach into my purse." The box was set down on a nearby couch. "Okay, ah, here you go."

The Auror looked over her identification and reassignment papers. "Thank you, Miss Thirlby. I hope you'll forgive the inconvenience, but with things the way they are in this country, we have to make sure that our embassy is safe."

"It was no inconvenience," she reassured. "I understand you guys have to make sure we're alright, because Merlin knows diplomats are hopeless when it comes to dueling."

The Auror smiled politely at her words. "Would you like me to call Cassandra to show you to your office? Cassandra is your secretary."

"I get a secretary?" she'd never had a secretary before. She didn't even know why she'd need one. "Yes, that would be fantastic. Thank you."

"It'll only be a moment, Miss Thirlby. If you like there are seats right over there and the receptionist, Barbara, can fetch you a bottle of water or whatever it is that you'd like. Would you like me to call her?"

"No need, thank you."

The Auror bowed his head politely before taking his leave. Adelaide tore her gaze from his retreating figure and redirected it to behind the desk where two women sat. She walked towards them, curious to meet the receptionist and whoever the other person was.

"Hello," she greeted them. "I take it that one of you is Barbara."

"That would be me, Miss," spoke a raven haired young woman with hair that fell just below her chin in a bob cut. "What can I help you with? I can't give you an appointment with a diplomat, not for today at least. They'll be here on Monday if you want to come back."

"I'm one of the diplomats." Adelaide stated. "I'm Adelaide Sinclaire Thirlby, the last of the transfers to set up their office."

"You're Miss Thirlby?" she turned to look at the blonde young woman that sat beside her. "I was just telling Roxanne about how you hadn't come in yet. It's great to meet you though. I'm, well you know, Barbara the head receptionist, but you can call me Finn. It's my last name and I hate the name Barbara." She chuckled to herself. "This is Roxanne."

"Hello," she extended her hand, which Adelaide gladly shook. "I'm an intern here and I mainly help out at the front desk, but I also do mail runs and anything that's needed around here."

"So you've both worked for the other diplomats, the ones that turned in their request for reassignment, I mean."

They nodded in unison.

"I've been here for about two years," spoke Barbara.

"And I've been here for a little over a year now. It's a paid internship and I love London. It works out great." Roxanne said. "There used to be another intern, but his father thought it was too dangerous for him and had him transferred."

"His father?" she raised her brother.

"Nelson Agnew," replied Roxanne.

"Something tells me, I'm glad that I won't have to work with him." Adelaide declared, not caring to keep her sentiments hidden. "I have a question for you both. How have the working conditions changed since Voldemort fought at the Ministry."

"Uh, well here they've stayed the same. Work wise, I mean," answered Barbara. "The only change is that the Aurors seem a little more on edge, but that's just how it's been. I'm sure you've experience their watchful eye at your apartment complex."

"I have," Adelaide pursed her lips. "Do you girls live in that complex as well?"

"Us?" she shook her head. "No, we live in the complex a few streets away. It's where the Aurors live to. And the workers from the Canadian Ministry as well, come to think of it, it's pretty much where the international workers that aren't diplomats, live."

"That sounds like it'd be a great place to live, very eclectic and you'd get to meet a lot of interesting people from around the world." Adelaide commented.

"Miss Thirlby." Spoke a voice from the doorway.

Adelaide turned to see who had called her name. It was a middle aged witch with graying hair and a kind smile. "Yes? I'm Miss Thirlby."

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I'm Cassandra Davies, your personal secretary." Cassandra held out her hand for Adelaide to shake. "I see you've met Barbara and Roxanne."

Barbara pulled a face at Cassandra and Adelaide had to stop herself from laughing. "I have. They've both been very welcoming."

"Well we are a very welcoming embassy. The finest in the world, I would argue." Cassandra's eyes flickered to the box in Adelaide's possession. "Oh. Let me carry that for you, Miss Thirlby."

"You don't have to. I can carry it, really."

"Nonsense, I'm your secretary. This is what I'm here for. Now," she took the box from Adelaide. "Please follow me, I'll show you right to your office. The elves were in there yesterday, giving it a good scrub so it'd be perfect for you. If there's anything you'd like cleaned or fixed, I can call Eve and have it arranged."

Adelaide followed Cassandra up the stairs. "I'm sure they've been very thorough with their cleaning."

"That they did, but some people are very particular about how things are done for them, which is fine," she quickly added, afraid that she might've offended her new boss. "And the elves really have no problem with tidying up a certain way."

"How many elves are employed here?"

"Three," replied Cassandra, "Eve, Mickey, and John. They don't just work here though. They also tidy up at the diplomat residence. That's where there living quarters are. Ah. Here we are," she opened the door. "Right this way, Miss Thirlby, here's the waiting area, my desk and through that door is your office."

Her eyes flickered across the room, bouncing from the crown molding that wrapped around the entire wall, to the couches where people would wait to see her. She'd never had a waiting area of her own. She'd always been the one waiting to be seen by others. It was strange to be elevated to a position of power, when she felt that the work it required was minimal. She followed Cassandra into her office and for a moment she swore she was going to pass out. There was an antique mahogany desk waiting for her, it was regal like something out of a period film. The chair behind it was equally elegant and she couldn't believe that that would be her office.

"Would you like a glass of water or coffee?" inquired Cassandra, softly. "I can get something else if you'd like."

"No thank you, I'm fine."

"I'll take my leave then. If you need anything or have any questions, I'm right outside." Cassandra left the box atop Adelaide's desk and then walked out, closing the door behind her.

"This is mine," she whispered to herself in disbelief. "Fuck. Fuck! This is mine."

She bit down on her lip to stop herself from letting out a childish _whoop_. It was her office. Not some bastard whose family paid for him to be there. It was hers, hers alone. She had a secretary that would bring her water and carry her stuff. She had a waiting room where people would sit impatiently to talk to her. It was all so grown up and as she paced around her office, she couldn't help but think that London wasn't going to be as bad as she'd imagined it would. So far life there had been treating her well, and although she missed waking up to the sound of the river, she had to admit that her new flat was spectacular. That London was an extraordinary city.

Adelaide spent her morning familiarizing herself with the office. She went through the closet and cupboards, making mental notes of what she could store there in the future. She placed her books on nearby shelves and hung her diplomas, as well as a few framed photographs up on the walls. She paid great attention to detail, wanting the office to give off the vibe that its inhabitant was a mature diplomat that they could put their trust in.

By the time lunch came around, Adelaide had finished settling into her office and was ready to explore the rest of the building. She stepped outside, eager to ask Cassandra to give her a tour, but when she walked out there was no Cassandra in sight. She ran a hand through her straightened hair, wondering where it was that the witch had run off to, and just as she was going to return to her office, the door opened and in walked Cassandra, carrying two salads with her.

"Were you looking for me?" asked Cassandra. "Knew I should've told you that I was making a lunch run, but I didn't want to disturb you. Sorry about that. It won't happen again though. Next time I'll give fair notice, but I brought lunch. Thought you might be hungry. I asked the elves to whip up some chicken Caesar salads for us. The dressings on the side, I wasn't sure if you cared for dressing."

"I like dressing." Adelaide reassured. "And thank you for grabbing us lunch. I'd completely lost track of time."

"That happens when setting up a new space." Cassandra smiled kindly. "Would you like to eat in your office or out here?"

"Out here's fine if you don't mind the company." Adelaide took the salad from Cassandra.

"Mind it? Heavens no," she took a seat behind her desk. "It'd be nice to have a chat and get to know you better. It's always good to know who you're working with. The diplomat before you, his name was Wyatt, he'd been for nineteen years, and I was his secretary for eighteen of them. Knew him very well, I did. Him and his family, very nice people, they were."

"You've worked here eighteen years?"

Cassandra nodded. "Didn't plan on it happening, but when I came here to visit an aunt, after my first marriage failed. And I somehow ended up falling in love and since he didn't want to move to America and I loved England, this job was perfect for me. I got to work for the American government and be with the man I love."

"That's so romantic."

"I like to think it is," she smiled softly. "How long have you been with the Office, Miss Thirlby?"

"You don't have to call me, Miss Thirlby. I don't know how the boss-secretary relationship's meant to work, but you can call me, Adelaide."

"I'd like that Adelaide, though I'll have to refer to you as Miss Thirlby when we have foreign diplomats visiting. Here, they're very fond of the distinction between diplomats and their staff, especially the head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation. That man is an elitist. Always looks down his nose at everyone. The one before him was better, he was a kind man. Was a bit thick, but he was friendly and struck up conversations with the secretaries. The new one is just, well, he has lots of money and he thinks himself royalty."

"Sounds like Agnew."

Cassandra's eyes went wide. "You don't like Agnew, either?"

"Absolutely despise him," she replied. "And he knows it. That's why he reassigned me to England. I think he thinks that I'm going to quit. Unfortunately for him, I'm very stubborn."

"And I'm very thankful for that," commented Cassandra. "Or else I would've been stuck with another diplomat, and who knows, maybe they would've been pro Agnew.

"No one's pro Agnew. Those that are, are only pretending," she lifted a forkful of salad to her lips. "I was wondering," she said after she'd swallowed her food, "If after we finish eating, you'd be nice enough to give me the grand tour."

"Oh. Yes, of course I will. I'll even show you the entrance we use to get to the Ministry. There's an enchanted door to the side of main waiting room, and we use it to get back and forth. It's much more convenient than going in via public restroom."

Théodora shot her a confused look.

"To get into the Ministry, the employees have to flush themselves in, in a public restroom." Cassandra explained. "It's disgusting and up until a decade ago, that was the way we got in as well, but complaints were made and the Ministry eventually enchanted a doorway so that we could get in and out of there easily. Wyatt was actually the one that pushed for it. Always joked that he did it because I was too old to be walking out every so often," she chuckled to herself.

"Wyatt sounds like he was a very good diplomat."

"He was. That's why I was so shocked when he put in his request to be transferred, but then I remembered that he and his wife have small children. He transferred to make sure nothing would happen to them."

"Have things been that bad here?"

"Well nothing's happened to us," she said in a low voice. "Our people are all safe, no one's been harmed. But the other day Roxanne was followed in Diagon Alley, and it wasn't until she spoke that the men following her left. The American accent scared them off, so that's our saving grace. But for the people here, it's not been so easy. People have been disappearing ever since You-Know-Who came back. Not just regular magic folk, but one's from powerful families and in positions of power. They killed the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. And she was a fierce one. Come to think of it, I think that's what scared them off, because as soon as she was killed, they put in their requests, but don't worry Adelaide. Just make sure people hear your voice. Only a fool would kill an American wizard or witch. And You-Know-Who knows that."


	11. Chapter 11

Working at an embassy wasn't something that Adelaide was cut out for. It was a boring, tedious employment that made her want to bang her head against the wall and yell at the top of her lungs. She'd only been at the office, _working_, for three and a half hours, but in that time, she'd come to the conclusion that being there was a waste of time, that she was meant to work at the Washington D.C. branch where she could actually put her skills to use, as opposed to just sitting around the office, waiting for American citizens that hadn't shown up all day. Why people fought for those positions was beyond her. The only reason why anyone would want to work at an embassy was because they wanted to do the bare minimum, while still maintaining the status of being a diplomat. That had to be it. Because there was nothing grand about working there, nothing that made her think she was making a difference in the world. She just sat at a desk, paced around her office, walked around the building, and then went back to her office to kill time.

Cassandra noticed how restless Adelaide was. From her desk, she watched with curious eyes as the young witch left her office to travel about the building, and heard the string of profanity that traveled through the door that separated their two spaces. She wondered why Adelaide was having so much trouble adjusting. The other diplomats seemed to be enjoying themselves. They appeared at ease with the easy workload, relishing in the lack of stress in their professional lives, but not Adelaide, her brow was furrowed in displeasure and the only smile Cassandra had seen on her face, was the one that she'd worn when she walked in at seven-thirty that morning. Wanting to put her new employer at ease, Cassandra decided that she would have a chat with her during lunch. So she went downstairs to the kitchen area, to ask the house elves if they could prepare salmon and wild rice meals for them. She remembered Adelaide mentioning how fond she was of seafood, so she hoped that the meal would be a welcomed one.

Sure enough, when the house elves arrived with the lunch and Cassandra knocked on Adelaide's door, the young witch gladly welcomed the company and the meal. She'd just been thinking about what she was going to have for lunch. She'd woken up late and since she had to drop Theodore off at the doggy day care, hadn't had enough time for anything more than a cup of coffee.

"This smells heavenly." Adelaide commented as Cassandra handed her the plate.

"It is quite lovely." Cassandra agreed. "The house elves here have a way with food, unlike any I've ever seen. I believe it's because they took professional lessons."

"They did?"

Cassandra nodded. "Awhile back, about six years ago, the diplomats paid for a chef from a popular restaurant to come teach them, can't remember his name, but he's quite talented and ever since then the quality, which was good to begin with, has become worthy of the palace."

"Guess that's one of the perks of working here." Adelaide cut her salmon into smaller pieces.

"There are others, perks, I mean." She set down her fork. "I know it's not as exciting as working at the capital. There are no treaties to negotiate here, but it does have its charms. London is spectacular, not a place, like it in all the world, and I'm fairly certain that in time it'll grow on you." Cassandra smiled reassuringly, hoping that her words would put the young witch at ease.

"Thanks for your concern, but it's not London that doesn't agree with me. It's the workload. I'm used to running from one meeting to another, and staying up late to go over terms for a treaty, so this – being idle, is different and . . . I don't know, it's – I'm not used to it."

"Give it a bit of time. I promise that at some point today, there will be at least one American coming to inquire about one thing or another."

Adelaide laughed. "Hopefully I'll be the diplomat that gets them. Give me something to do. I've already reorganized the office twice since I got here."

"There's a recreational area. Remember?"

"Uh, I don't actually remember that space."

"It's two floors up from here, same floor as the library. In fact, its door is right across from it."

Adelaide furrowed her brow, mentally retracing her steps. She'd been on that floor, having gone to the library during one of her walks, but she didn't remember having seen the recreational area. She thought harder about it, trying to remember the layout of the floor, and then, she realized that there'd been a door across from the library. The door hadn't been paid much attention to. A simple glance had been cast at is, before Adelaide returned her attention to the library, having been drawn in by the extensive book collection that the stately room housed. The recreational area had to have been behind that door. She was certain of it. And when she asked Cassandra if that was the case, the older witch nodded and began describing the contents of the area.

It sounded like a pleasant enough space, there was a pool table, a chess set, couches that would undoubtedly be perfect for afternoon naps, and Cassandra had even said something about their being a muggle television set. It sounded like an ideal space to waste time, so after lunch ended, and the plates were cleared, Adelaide bid farewell to Cassandra and decided to go see for herself if the space was as brilliant as it sounded.

On the way to the recreational area, Adelaide bumped into Wilson. He was the second youngest person there, she being the first. He was thirty-nine years old, with dark blonde hair and hazel eyes. Though, the fact that he had a newborn at home had taken a serious toll on his appearance and he looked much older, not only older, he looked in desperate need of sleep. They chatted in the hallway, politely discussing how different work at the embassy was than in Washington. Wilson seems quite keen on the way things worked at the embassy, stating that if things continued the way they were, he'd finally be able to catch up on his sleep. Adelaide forced a laugh. He was pleased with their lightened load, while she yearned for the stress of life in Washington.

Just a month ago, she had been complaining about how draining work was, how she was missing out on sleep and wasn't having as active a social life as she would've wanted, but now that she had all the time in the world, now that she could sleep at work, she missed the stress, she missed having to stay all night at the office to sort out an unexpected problem that a greedy corporation or careless Auror had created, but she was going to have to get used to the way things worked, or else she was going to be miserable for the duration of her stay in London. She'd grow irritable, short tempered. She'd probably be as bad as she was when her dad passed away, before Gwen gave her Theodore, and that was something that she wanted to avoid at all cost.

There were no further interruptions on the way to the recreational area. The halls were deserted and she was glad she didn't have to force a smile to talk with the other diplomats or the staff that assisted them. When she reached the entrance to the room, her eyes sparkled with curiosity and without wasting any more time, she cautiously opened the door, as if there was a chance that someone might be sleeping within. As is happened, there wasn't anyone else inside. The couches were deserted, as was the pool table, and chess set. She walked in slowly, her eyes scanning the layout before her, taking in every detail that she could. It was beautiful, there was no denying that. The furniture was elegant, a bit less grand than the one in the library, but still something that one might see at a royal palace, or at the very least, at the country home of a royal.

"What to do?" she mused aloud.

Chess was out of the question. There was no partner with whom to play with, and even if there had been, she didn't know how to play. She was decent at playing pool, but again, there was no one to play with, and a solo match wasn't the least bit tempting. She decided on watching television, there was bound to be something that'd capture her attention, and sure enough there was a show called [i]_Absolutely Fabulous[/i] _that was on BBC One. She ended up watching two episodes, not bothering to laugh quietly since there was no one that would be disturbed by her booming laughter.

It wasn't until Roxanne entered the room that Adelaide turned off the television. Apparently Cassandra had phoned the young witch, asking her to find Adelaide because the Head of International Magical Cooperation was at the office, waiting for her so he could make her acquaintance.

"He just showed up?" she asked as she stood up from the couch, trying to smooth out the barely visible wrinkles on her charcoal trousers. "Didn't call or send word?"

"No, Miss Thirlby." Roxanne replied. "He's not the kind of person that calls in advance. He just shows up whenever he likes, thinks himself important enough to take such liberties."

"And did Cassandra mention what it was he wanted?"

"No, Miss." Roxanne held the door open. "All Cassandra said was that Mr. Mulciber was waiting for you. I suppose he's there to welcome you, to see what kind of person you are. He did the same last week with Wilson and Mark."

"That's comforting." Adelaide's nose wrinkled in disgust when she smelled her breath. "I shouldn't have had salmon for lunch, breath smells horrible."

"I've got some mints." Roxanne pulled them out from her pocket. "Want some?"

"Yes, thank you." She took four and threw them in her mouth, a shiver running through her body from the intensity of them. "Are those magical mints?"

"No, they're actually muggle ones. It's amazing what they invent without magic."

"It really is." Adelaide agreed. "Are you fond of muggles, then?"

"Love them!" she replied, a bright smile playing across her lips. "I'm actually dating one. He's a musician, plays in a blues band and he's just so – ah! Don't think you want to hear that. You're my boss. Well not my boss, but one of the bosses. I talk too much sometimes. Have you noticed that?" she asked, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"No, it's fine. It's nice to hear that you're enjoying yourself in London."

"London's great. I'm sure it'll grow on you as much as it has on us."

"Hopefully," she followed Roxanne down the stairs.

The rest of the walk was silent. Adelaide fussed over her appearance, smoothing out her straightened hair in case any hairs were sticking out, and throwing on her blazer when they reached the entrance to her waiting area. She thanked Roxanne for having fetched her, and then, took a deep breath. She'd heard about Mulciber. Cassandra had made her disdain for him, well known to her. And if Adelaide was going to be honest, she had to admit that she already preconceived notions about what he was going to be like, and was predisposed not to like him. She hoped he'd prove her wrong. That he'd end up being a person that she could get along professionally with, though, the fact that he didn't call or owl to say that he would be dropping by her office, had already rubbed her the wrong way.

When she walked into the waiting area, the first thing she saw was a tall man standing with his back to her, he had broad shoulders, and dark black hair, though there were a few noticeable grays in the vast ocean of black. Adelaide looked over at Cassandra, whom mouthed, _'That's him_.' Adelaide nodded in understanding and plastered the smile she used with fellow diplomats, it was a welcoming smile that showed that she wanted to have a good professional relationship, but the look in her eyes always made it perfectly clear that she was not about to screwed over by anyone.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Mulciber."

At her voice, he turned, revealing a handsome face, that was by all means pleasing and attractive, but there was something cold about his gaze, something about the dark orbs that made an unsettling feeling shoot through her spine. Adelaide had always been good at reading people by looking into her eyes. It was a gift she'd had since she was a child, a gift she shared with her late father, and as she stood there, a nagging voice in the back of her mind screamed that that man was not to be trusted. That he was every bit as dangerous and an elitist as Cassandra had painted him out to be.

"Please allow me to introduce myself," she said, not letting the feeling coursing through her get the better of her. "I am Minister-Counselor Thirlby. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Minister-Counselor Thirlby," he greeted her, extending his hand. "I believe the pleasure is mine. I had been meaning to visit ever since I spoke to your cultural attaché last week, and was informed that the new ambassadors had arrived."

"I am glad to hear you keep regular contact with Mr. Davenport."

"Mr. Davenport is an intimate acquaintance. He often frequents the Ministry to keep himself informed of the cultural happenings."

"Then I must count myself fortunate to have such a cultural attaché."

He smiled a forced smile as he took note of the distrust in her eyes. He wondered if she was a liberal, one of the American government employees that were calling their government to intervene in England. The way she spoke made him think she was. The way she carried herself appeared to confirm that thought, but only time would prove whether or not he was right in supposing so.

"Have you yet to visit the Ministry?" he inquired.

"I can not say I have. I was actually going to be calling at the Department of International Magical Cooperation. I had sent word to the British branch of the International Confederation of Wizards; I am to have lunch with them tomorrow."

"Are you?" he mused aloud. "Well that is brilliant. I had heard that none of the American diplomats had yet to call on our representatives."

"We hadn't the time to do so last week, for we were moving into our new abodes and setting up the office. Work commenced this very day, and as such, we have divvied up the days to see who would go to the Ministry on which days so as to keep at least two ambassadors here at all times." She paused before continuing. "In fact, Career Minister Mark Hudgins is going to the Ministry this very afternoon. He's to dine with the representatives."

"Is he now?"

Adelaide nodded.

"I am glad that an effort is being made on both our behalves. These are difficult times at the Ministry, quite trying on us, and it does one well to know that there are diplomats willing to work with our offices."

"American diplomats will always work on behalf of anyone fighting for the preservation of the basic rights of both magical individuals and our muggle counterparts, as well as for political justice." Adelaide stated. Her eyes fixed on him as she gauged his reaction.

Mulciber smiled a tight smile that was clearly forced, but said nothing on the subject. He didn't stay much longer, claiming that he had to get back to the Ministry. He assured that he would do his absolute best to make it to the lunch with the representatives and she almost told him not to bother, that she just wanted to meet with them, but she smiled politely, as she had to, and said that it would be lovely if he could. After she walked him out to the main lobby, she returned to her office with a desk full of questions and there was only one person that she could inquire to them about, well, there two, but only one of them was present.

"Cassandra?" she called to her.

She looked up from her book. "Yes, Adelaide?" asked Cassandra.

"How well acquainted is Mr. Davenport with Mulciber?"

"To my knowledge, they are very intimately acquainted. Mr. Davenport spends most of his day at the Ministry, which some would argue that is normal considering that he is the cultural attaché, and must be kept informed of the happenings, but I think he spends far too much time there. His secretary, Jeffrey, always complains that he spends most of his day alone, waiting for Mr. Davenport to return. I believe there must be a close friendship there, for him to spend as much time at the Ministry as he does. But again, those are just my suppositions."

"Well thank you for sharing them." Adelaide placed a hand on her hip. "Did you notice the look he got when I referred to muggles as our counterparts?"

"I did." Cassandra let out a breath. "I'm afraid Mulciber isn't fond of muggles. At the Christmas party last year, which was held at this embassy, he refused to shake my husband's hand because he was a muggle."

"How rude," she commented, her mind already racing, forming questions that she would have to ask Gwen.


End file.
